Coyote concerns in Lincoln include 2 pets killed by them

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Coyotes are becoming more than a nuisance in parts of Lincoln, with two pets killed by the animals over the past year.

Ann and Brad Kile told the Lincoln Journal Star that the coyotes appeared on Wedgewood Lake this winter, stalking geese on the ice, sunning themselves and sleeping in a culvert not far from their home.

“We’d see them crawl out every morning and stretch, like they owned the place,” Ann Kile said.

They weren’t too troubled until Jan. 6, when they let Daisy, their 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier, into the backyard, which is fenced but open at the lake’s edge. When Brad Kile opened the door to let Daisy back in, she didn’t come. Down by the boat dock he saw a coyote’s head pop up, then two more.

He found Daisy dead on the ice, a male coyote standing over her.

In June, a 15-year-old Chihuahua was also killed by a coyote in Lincoln.

Animal Control officers are taking the coyotes seriously - making daily visits to the area where they’ve been seen, walking the trails, making their presence known both to neighbors and the coyotes.

“We want them to move on,” Animal Control manager Steve Beal said.

The number of reports has dropped slightly recently, though Beal expects them to climb through the rest of May and into June, when coyotes are weaning their pups and on the move.

Meanwhile, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department has planted warning signs on trails, urging those who spot coyotes to make loud noises and report aggressive behavior to Animal Control. They also urge pet owners to stay outside with small pets, keep them on a leash and keep them confined to the yard.