MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Residents want the city to do something about coyote sightings that they say are becoming too frequent.
Pine Lakes is one part of the city where several people say they’ve heard and seen coyotes, especially around the golf course.
While Wednesday night’s meeting was to inform and educate residents, they said they wanted more.
“We have found dead cats in our yard,” one woman said.
Another woman said, “I’m not going to walk up to a coyote and say, ‘Now are you rabid? Do you think I can get you euthanized?'”
More than 100 residents met with city leaders and a wildlife biologist to learn about what they can do about coyotes in their neighborhoods. The city says coyotes have injured or killed pets and while the Pine Lakes area has many reports, coyotes have been spotted almost anywhere humans are.
The state department of natural resources says coyotes are not native to South Carolina and there are now about 350,000 across the state in every county.
Jay Butfiloski with DNR led Wednesday night’s presentation and says many areas have tried to eliminate coyotes, but they’ve all failed.
“You control areas where you have problems and deal with those, then try to educate people how to live with coyotes around,” said Butfiloski, who’s the furbearer and alligator program coordinator for DNR.
Neighbors said the city should still try to reduce the coyote population. Some suggested the city hire a trapper, shifting the burden from residents.
Wanda Siler has a petition with about 100 signatures asking the city to develop a plan to get rid of coyotes.
“If we had a pack of rabid dogs running loose in myrtle beach, terrorizing tourists, something would be done,” she said.
No plan came out of Wednesday’s meeting, as mayor Brenda Bethune says the city says is still figuring it out.
“We will look at what areas this seems to be concentrated in and we will work with you, but we don’t have a solution for that tonight,” mayor Bethune said at the meeting.
If you live in Horry County and outside city limits, you are allowed to shoot a coyote on your property, but you can’t do that in the city unless it’s attacking you.
DNR recommends calling a licensed trapper and not leaving potential food sources outside if you think you have a coyote problem.