News 12 at 6 o'clock, July 16, 2008

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga.---Coyote sightings are nothing new; they've been in the area for years. But now some Columbia County citizens are almost looking forward to their visits.

Gere Hirsh and her four cats have seen coyotes recently around their Columbia County home.

"I have seen them. I see them on occasion when I'm driving on William Few Parkway...For me it's neat to see them," says Hirsh.

She doesn't mind them, even likes to watch them sometimes. But she can understand why others might be worried. "They're really not a threat to us, but I can understand why people wouldn't like to have them around," says Hirsh.

They may not be a threat to us, but they could be a threat to your pets and livestock. "Usually they like to go after small livestock like your goats and chickens and that type of thing," says Columbia County Animal Care and Control Manager Linda Fulmer.

Neighborhoods like Gere's are prime places to see coyotes. They stick around areas that are still under construction. "With the population booming, of course construction going on in the county, we're moving in and building new houses and their natural habitat is just being destroyed," says Fulmer.

Animal control also says the main time you'll see the wild animals is late afternoon, around dusk. If you do see them lingering around your home, they have some tips to keep you and your animals safe. "If you have small pets or something in your yard, make sure they're in at night. Don't leave food sitting outside because if you do you're gonna attract the wildlife of your area," Hirsh says.

While Gere does enjoy watching the coyotes, she will of course be taking animal control's advice, and keep her cats safe inside.

If you have seen coyotes in and around your neighborhood, chances are they're harmless. But just in case, you can call your local Department of Natural Resources office to get more information on how to keep them away.