Coyote Ugly

If you hear a howling on the wind, it probably isn't coming from the nearby fraternity house. It's breeding season for coyotes, and they're hungry, which means that Fido and Mittens and all your little furry friends have something else to worry about besides tainted pet food.

Coyotes have killed a terrier and injured a Lab in Newton. If you find yourself and your pet surrounded by coyotes, a representative from Fisheries and Wildlife says, "Go out and run and yell and scream and holler and run straight at them – the coyote is going to turn and leave."

In short, act so crazy that coyotes will decide humans flat out aren't worth messing with.

Other coyote-control steps don't involve getting up in the irritable animal's grill: " To make your property less attractive to coyotes and foxes, wildlife specialists suggest securing your garbage and feeding your pets indoors. They also suggest closing off crawl spaces and trimming overgrown brush."

Also, when a coyote was spotted strutting on Jamaica Pond, WHDH recommended leashing your pet so the pet doesn't wind up a coyote snack.

Image of a local coyote from MassWildlife.