The head of New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section is urging residents to avoid feeding wildlife following some unusual behavior from a coyote in a Sagamore Trail backyard last week.
A resident there contacted police at 2:36 p.m. on Oct. 5 about a coyote that was lying in the middle of the yard “like it’s waiting for a bus,” Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm said.
The large, healthy male coyote stood up and lumbered off a bit when Halm pulled up in the unit’s van, but never once picked up even a trot—an indication that the animal was overly familiar with human beings and someone likely has fed him, she said.
A major problem with feeding any wildlife is that it the practice will attract all kinds of animals, including other people’s domestic pets, Halm said.
“Any food source will draw wildlife,” she said. “Coyotes love apples, so if you have apple trees in the yard and don’t want them to visit you, you need to pick them up. Raccoons and deer love them, too.”
The Sagamore Trail coyote also was lounging in the yard of a home that includes a small dog, Halm said. The pet is never let outside loose or on its own, Halm said.