Tulsa's coyote problem

Tulsa residentâ€™s pets are being attacked and eaten. The culprit, coyotes, and the concern now is that they are roaming populated areas in south Tulsa, hungry and aggressive. <br><br>It's so bad;

Monday, April 5th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa residentâ€™s pets are being attacked and eaten. The culprit, coyotes, and the concern now is that they are roaming populated areas in south Tulsa, hungry and aggressive.

It's so bad; one neighborhood's hired a professional trapper. News on 6 reporter Lori Fullbright says a flyer warns people near 101st and Sheridan that coyotes have been killing small dogs. It also shows two of the coyotes trapped and caught by a man hired by the neighborhood who specializes in nuisance creatures.

Roger Blanchard, Homeowners Association President: "He caught two of them, a large, aggressive male and a female and he put em both down." One of Roger's neighbors had two dogs killed recently and a person in an adjoining neighborhood had two Yorkies killed, too.

The problem is the more houses that are built, the less feeding ground the coyotes have, the hungrier they get, and the bolder. "These coyotes come out in the day. One woman came home and drove up and there was a coyote in her yard and it didn't move, they're not afraid of people."

Debbi Frye knows firsthand the devastation caused by coyotes attacking pets. Her dog, Abbey was killed by a coyote, along with her brother's dog, when she let them out one night two summers ago. "They jumped our fence and came in and got them, it's not like they were roaming around."

Their newest pet, Bubby has now joined the family, but he's never allowed outside because the fear it will happen all over again. "It was devastating and it's still devastating two years later."

Of course, the neighbors are worried about their pets, but they told me their biggest concern is that a child will be the next to be attacked by a coyote.

I talked to a wildlife biologist who says the good news in all this is he's never known a coyote to attack a human.

Tulsa's animal shelter employees recognize the growing problem and are now taking tracking classes and receiving training in how to deal with coyotes. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife recommends the animals are killed after they're trapped, because there is not a shortage of them and they are considered a nuisance when they eat domesticated animals.

They recommend you keep small dogs and cats inside and don't leave animal food outside.