Urban Coyotes in Arlington County
Every winter when the foliage thins out, AWLA’s Animal Control team notes an increase in phone calls about coyote sightings across the county. We want to remind our community members that coyotes are a normal part of the ecosystem here in Arlington, but there are steps we can take to ensure that coyotes, people, and pets stay safe!
Urban coyotes are born and raised in our neighborhoods. They know our routines and generally stay away from people and pets. However, there can be the occasional curious coyote that needs to be reminded to be wary of people. Follow these tips to ensure the coyotes in your neighborhood stay wild!
- Practice humane negative conditioning techniques, called “hazing.” Some examples of hazing are: clapping your hands, raising your voice, blowing a whistle, or shaking/tossing an empty aluminum can with some pennies inside when you see a coyote.
- Secure your trash and block off access to sheltered areas (underneath your porch, shed, etc).
- Pets should always be up to date on their rabies vaccine and closely monitored outside. We strongly recommend that cats be kept inside and dogs are kept on a leash at all times outside of your property.
If you spot a coyote in your neighborhood, there is no need for alarm. Healthy coyotes are active during the day and night. If you come across a coyote that looks ill* or injured, please call our Animal Control team at (703) 931-9241. You can learn more about urban coyotes here!
*Coyotes with missing fur who are scratching a lot are often afflicted with mange, an ailment caused by tiny mites under the skin. You can learn more about mange by reading this article about foxes with mange written by Arlington’s Natural Resource Manager: https://capitalnaturalist.blogspot.com/2017/10/mangy-foxes.html
