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Coyote Incident Classification and Responses
Coyote Behavior | Classification | Response |
| Non-Aggressive Behaviors | ||
| Coyote heard or seen moving through area (day or night) No police report. | Sighting | If requested, ACW will provide approved education materials and information on normal coyote behavior. Citizen may document on interactive map as a sighting |
| Coyote seen resting in area or entering a yard with no person present outside. No police report. | Sighting | If requested, ACW will provide approved education materials and tips, techniques, and resources for preventing potential coyote conflicts. Citizen may document on interactive map |
| Coyote following or approaching a person with or without pets and no incident. Police report recommended. | Encounter | Police report should be filed. Responding Officer/ACW will provide information on pet safety, hazing techniques and NY trapping laws, ACW will monitor frequency. Citizen may document on interactive map |
| Coyote entering yard with people and pets present. Police report recommended. | Encounter | Police report should be filed. Responding Officer/ACW will provide information and tips, techniques, and resources for preventing potential coyote conflicts. Refer to ACW for follow-up and monitor frequency. Citizen may document on interactive map |
| Aggressive Behaviors | ||
| Coyote injures or kills unattended or unleashed pet in back yard or open area. File a police report. | Unattended Pet Attack | File a police report. Responding Officer/ACW will provide educational resources on pet management, hazing techniques and the applicability of NY State trapping laws. Desk Officer/Responding Officer should advise pet owner to wear protection when handling the victim dog and to seek medical advice if he or she may have come in contact with the coyote’s saliva. When appropriate send a targeted NIXLE alert, ACW/NCPD will add to interactive map, Refer to ACW for follow-up. |
| Coyote injures or kills a pet on-leash or off-leash and under visual observation and voice control. File a police report. | Attended Pet Attack | Police should be immediately notified and may take steps to remove coyote. If the coyote has left the area provide information on applicable NY trapping laws, educational resources on pet management and hazing techniques ACW/NCPD will add to map, when appropriate send a targeted NIXLE alert. Follow-up by ACW. |
| Coyote bites human (human feeding coyote, approaching animal with pups, intervening during pet attack) Notify Police Immediately. | Provoked Human Attack | Police should be immediately notified, attack victim to seek advice of physician or EMS response, if possible lethal action used to take possession of coyote, If killed, submit to DOH for testing. If coyote not present, a trapper should be contacted asap to take possession of the problem animal. Animal if caught to be euthanized and delivered to DOH for testing. Incident posted to Nixle and social media. ACW/NCPD add to map. Follow-up by ACW. |
| Coyote bites human (human did not encourage coyote to engage) Notify Police Immediately. | Unprovoked Attack | Police should be immediately notified, EMS response or attack victim to seek advice of physician, lethal action may be taken, If killed, submit coyote to DOH for testing. If coyote not present, a trapper will be contacted asap to remove the problem animal. If caught animal will be euthanized and delivered to DOH for testing. Incident posted to Nixle and social media. ACW/NCPD add to map. ACW will follow up. |
*The police are authorized to use lethal action against wildlife when deemed necessary to protect life and/or property