PORT NECHES — A string of coyote sightings across Mid-County has led animal control officers to warn people to protect their pets.
The first sightings circulated on Facebook. Jennifer Bernard captured a pack of three on her video alert system.
"I could've been out at any time and there is three of them and it's just me and my dogs,” Bertrand said. “Now who's going to win that battle."
It’s not unusual to see coyotes in wooded areas but the animals have been spotted in the most public areas.
Justin VanDevender posted a video to Facebook of a coyote spotted in Nederland just right off Gage Street.
Stacey Delarosa posted a photo of one she encountered on a walk with her dog in Groves.
Bernard's video alarm system captured a coyote chasing a neighborhood cat.
"And you just see it flying across the video. I mean it was going so fast,” Bernard said. "We didn't know that it was actually attacking anything. I just thought it was chasing something until the next morning we woke up and there's a cat tail and two legs."
Dale Jackson, Fire Chief and Animal Control supervisor in Groves says the issue seems to be a lack of a natural habitat. As the area grows, coyotes move in, because they have nowhere else to go.
"The best way to try to prevent or keep them from being a nuisance is not to put food out where they can get to them. keep your pets inside. I know sometimes that's hard to do with the cats,” Chief Jackson said.
Jennifer Bernard says Saturday’s attack was a close call. She fears the next one will be worse if animal control doesn't get things under control.
"Something has to be done about it. I don't know if trapping is the answer or if... I don't really know what the answer is,” Bernard said. “We live in a neighborhood. This is a neighborhood. We have pets. We have small kids and obviously they are not scared at all."
Chief Jackson says that they plan to put out traps and they've been in touch with the game warden to get a hold of this situation. He says, if possible, keep your pets inside.