Assistant City Manager assigned this issue to Venice PIO

Thanks for the photo. This is the animal we spotted last Saturday across from 424 Alhambra. Posted on Next Door site. Very skiddish, small. We thought it looked odd, more like a dog than coyote from across the street. Maybe mix but obviously living wild none the less.

I also thought the animals looked more like dogs than coyotes but I am no expert! Maybe they are lost dogs??

I used to live a mid-town area of a city. We had coyotes but also a pack of about 6 wild dogs that roamed the neighborhoods, slept in yards, got in trash. The wild dogs were more threatening than the coyotes. We called animal control who finally took care of them.

Can't these animals be trapped and relocated where they can find food and live in a habitat that they are meant to live in. It is sad that their home has been taken away. They shouldn't have to suffer :(

June 21 and 23 at 8:40 pm coyote on front lawn of house on Armada Road South between Park and Galleon. There are too many of them around. There needs to be a concerted effort to trap and relocate off the island. The difficulty for a coyote to get onto the island will keep the population down if they are aggressively trapped and removed.

The photo posted by Katcuddy is clearly a coyote with a severe case of mange. It is NOT a dog. The one I saw on Armada Road South was in similar condition. Mange is fatal if not treated. These animals need to be trapped. Mange can be transmitted to dogs. To prevent mange from spreading from coyotes to dogs, the best approach is to prevent coyotes from coming near where dogs are kept. Consider a tall fence with a roll bar across the top to prevent coyotes from coming in your yard.

Let them nature was her before you just like the airport

That's what happens when you privatize

Unfortunately when coyotes are trapped, new ones just move in, according to Fish & Wildlife. FWC has a helpful brochure on this topic that can be found here: http://myfwc.com/media/2675483/Living-With-Urban-Coyotes.pdf
Including phone numbers on the back to call for further information/how to proceed given your specific situation.

Issue reporter provided with information.

Coyotes have been spotted on Maple Road south of the Circus Bridge. 3 to 4 have been roaming the streets and neighbors are concerned. Many of us walk our dogs at night and are to afraid now. One of my neighbors found one of my cats eaten on his driveway and how he knows it is my cat because the head was left behind with other pieces - eaten. Have never had a problem before and all of a sudden coyotes everywhere and animals being found dead. Whats next to get eaten my dogs. This needs to be dealt with. I work until 11pm and have seen one in my neighbors yard and i was suprised, didnt know there were coyotes around this area (nor have i ever seen or heard about this and i was born in Venice)... what is stopping it from attacking me - my street is dark because it has 1 street light that occasionally works?

Although someone from Wildlife suggests that more coyotes will move in if the existing ones are trapped and relocated, Im not sure if they are looking at the whole picture, and that being that we are on an island with only a couple of busy roads as their way on or off. Just as if relocated, it would be hard to get back on the island, it is also as difficult for them to get off the island, hence the increase in their populous. The ones that are here now have come from the originals that made the airport and surrounding area their home. With all of the new building, they have nowhere to go but to infiltrate the neighborhoods as their group grows larger with no real way to escape the island.

It's nature and what was a cat doing outside ,it deserves to be pray .people must be careful with there pets it's your own fault

Here are a few factoids that most people do not know or understand.

1. Coyotes, snakes, rats, bobcats, racoon's, armadillo's, skunks, opossum's, rabbits, squirrel's, birds, and the list goes on and on, were all living here long before we were and before the "island" was created.
2. Just because there is now a waterway and 3 bridges surrounding what has become the island will not and does not prevent any of these animals from accessing the island. How many of you know that we have a Florida panther than comes onto the island every few months? Sound bizarre? No, it's a fact. We're not sure if it swims over, crosses the Circus bridge, or comes up from Manasota Key - my guess is the Manasota Key route as I have seen one there on the north end.
3. With few exceptions, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Department will not remove coyotes or any other animal from urban areas (ie. a city) unless the animal is non-native, and/or is posing a risk to humans. A coyote or other animal with the mange as mentioned above, "would be" one reason to remove that specific animal.
4. And yes, coyotes will eat a house cat or small dog if left outside to roam - that's what they do for a meal: eat small animals - and luckily for us, they mostly eat rabbits, squirrels, mice and rats.

Just because you moved to town is not a reason to remove any of these pre-existing animals.

I have seen three coyotes on Armada Road South just west of Park and one on Park near Barcelona just in the past week. All four have severe mange. The large one I saw this morning heading into the backyard of 604 Armada Road South was not fearful and did not run when he saw me. I am sure they are suffering. Mange is highly contagious and ultimately fatal when untreated. The city or county should probably take the necessary steps to remove them.

Capt. Rose is aware.

Coyote seen at Valencia and Harbor on 10/1 at 9:30 am. Venice Wildlife called.

Coyotes in Venezia Park

I commented above and have subsequently learned from the Florida Fish and Game Dept that coyotes did not migrate into Florida until 1992, and into Sarasota County in the early 2000's. My neighbors cat was also caught and eaten by a coyote as that's what coyotes do if they find a small animal in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I live in the same area where all of the above mange infested coyotes are sighted. I see them several times/week and there are several that are severely infected with mange. While I agree with Florida Fish and Game that they have just as much right to be here as we do, what "Love Venice Island" said is true, and I think it is time for the City to call Florida Fish and Game and request that the mange infested coyotes be removed.

Thank you for contacting us regarding this matter. As I understand your concerns, the city is unable to intervene in removal of coyotes. I have however for your convenience listed a link for your review which is a guide to living with coyotes in urban neighborhoods. We have also made mention about coyotes in our monthly newsletter to residents. I hope this guide will be of assistance to you and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Public Information Officer Lorraine Anderson at 941-882-7401. Thank you for using seeclickfix.

http://myfwc.com/media/2675483/Living-With-Urban-Coyotes.pdf