Residents in one Fort Lauderdale neighborhood say they’re dealing with unwanted guests at night — coyotes.
Neighbors said they’ve been spotted in backyards, in front of homes, and in some cases, have attacked small animals.
James Thomas said his pet chihuahua named Big Boy was killed by a coyote last Tuesday.
“All of a sudden, a coyote ran up, grabbed him, and took off,” Thomas said.
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It happened steps away from his home on Alabama Avenue.
“It really hurts,” he said. “It’s like losing a kid. That’s my baby.”
He tried chasing after it and drove around trying to find him, but it was too late.
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"It wouldn’t bother me so bad if I could’ve gotten him and even buried him," he said. "But, he took him off somewhere and ate him."
And it's not just Thomas' dog. He used to own about 15 cats. But since recent coyote sightings, he said several are now missing.
"Almost every week, every two weeks one is missing," he said. "I thought the neighbors may have been getting rid of them, but it’s been the coyotes."
He said his cats are so afraid that they now hide in the backyard or on the roof of his home.
Thomas wants something done before someone is hurt.
“We got kids, I mean little kids, 4 years old, and these coyotes if they’re hungry, they’ll grab anything,” Thomas said. “So we need to get something done about it.”
A spokesperson for the city of Fort Lauderdale said they’re looking into the issue.
And it’s not just Fort Lauderdale – Wilton Manors is hosting a public meeting on dealing with coyotes and foxes in neighborhoods.
NBC6 reached out to Broward Animal Services but did not receive a response Monday evening.
