Four dogs in two months. That’s how many beloved pets have been snatched by prowling coyotes in the Snowmass Village area, according to Police Chief Brian Olson.
Even when touring the Snowmass Club Golf Course on an “impromptu foot patrol,” he said, Olson spotted a coyote. That one was hunting rodents rather than unsuspecting small dogs, but it goes to show that the wild canines are certainly underfoot.
“The coyotes, they’re everywhere. They’re in our subdivisions, they’re in and around the golf course, on the ski hill — if the dog or cat is left unattended, they can fall prey to that predator,” Olson said.
In the four instances that Olson said the police have been aware of in recent months, the dogs were all small and all left unattended by their owners.
“They were essentially in and around the homes — the dog is just getting left out of the house,” he said. “There’s a number of situations that can put your dog in harm if you’re not actually attending to your dog and keeping it leashed. Everything from bears to coyotes, mountain lions, birds of prey can take small dogs. Everyone needs to pay attention. We just live in that kind of habitat where it’s always a possibility. Right now, it seems our coyote population is probably at or near a peak, and they’ve just found it possible to take a couple of dogs, and that just promotes their activity a little bit more.”
And it’s not always just small pets that are in danger. A medium-sized dog — roughly 50 pounds, Olson estimated — was attacked by three coyotes recently, though the owner was able to fend them off and though the dog was injured, it survived.
In a small town like Snowmass Village, word has traveled fast about the incidents. Almost everyone Olson has spoken with about the situation was already well aware of it and ready to take the necessary precautions. Still, police are passing out literature and undertaking a public awareness campaign, including setting up road signs at the entrance points to the area.
“We’re obviously asking people to keep their animals leashed, and if you are confronted or followed by a coyote, we suggest hazing them,” Olson said. “Anything from sticks and rocks to bluff charging them and yelling at them just to scare them off, and if anybody is left uncomfortable they can certainly call 911 from wherever they are and we will come and haze the animal as much as possible.”
While of course any death of a pet is a “sad situation,” Olson said, mitigation efforts do not include euthanization.
“We are in close contact with [Colorado Parks and Wildlife], and they agree with us — we’re not starting any type of culling or destruction of the animals,” Olson said.
Matt Yamashita, CPW area wildlife manager, was not immediately available for comment Sunday.
“We live in their habitat, and people have to be a little resilient and … this is just a year where your freedoms are a little restricted because of the coyote population,” Olson said. “The very high majority of [people] are aware and comfortable with what’s required of them as a dog owner, and they need to fight back a little and we’ll help them as needed. Everyone I talked to was aware of it and prepared to deal with it. Hopefully as a community we can come together and get through this fall season.”
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Coyote population ‘at or near peak,’ Snowmass police warn pet owners - Aspen Daily News
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