Coyotes are roaming on Winter Park neighborhood for months, but now those coyotes have attacked and killed a dog.

  • Dog reportedly killed by 3 coyotes in Winter Park
  • Sullivan family says their small dog got out of their backyard
  • Not much agencies can or will do about coyotes

"I mean, he's a little dog. He goes outside, goes to the bathroom and comes back in. We weren't worried about coyotes in the first place," Chris Sullivan said Friday.

On Monday, Sullivan says their seven-year-old morkie, Wallee, was playing in the backyard while the family was packing the kids for daycare. The Sullivans believe Wallee got out of the gated fence through a crack and wandered onto city-owned property behind their home, where he was attacked by three coyotes.

A maintenance worker at the adjacent Mayflower retirement community reported the attack to the Sullivans.

"It's pretty devastating. I can't even describe it." Sullivan said.

While the family mourns the loss of their family pet, the Sullivans said they are more concerned the coyotes could attack their two young children who aren't that much bigger than their late dog.

"As sad as this is, I can't have that threat hanging over my kids," Sullivan said.

Distraught, Sullivan called Florida Fish and Wildlife, the City of Winter Park and Animal Control, who all said there isn't anything they can or will do about it unless the coyote poses a direct threat to human safety.

According to the FWC, homeowners have few options when handling coyotes:

  • You can hire a sanctioned trapper who will kill them or relocate them to an agreed location within your county. 
  • You can shoot them yourself on your property if you are legally licensed and able to in your city. 

Back in 2014, there was a big spike in coyote sightings throughout Winter Park and College Park.

Since the beginning of the year, the FWC reports there have been three calls, including the Sullivans, concerning Coyote sightings/attacks in Winter Park.

Living with coyotes

Coyotes can be found in all 67 counties in Florida, and even in heavily-populated areas. FWC offers these tips for dealing with coyotes:

  • Never feed coyotes. Don't leave food outside, clean up any left-out pet food, fallen fruit and other items. Make sure garbage cans are secure.
  • Frighten coyotes away. If you see a coyote, don't let it intimidate you. Make loud noises and act aggressively, like waving your arms, throwing sticks or spraying it with a hose. Don't try to hurt it though. Injured animals are more likely to attack.
  • Close off crawl spaces and sheds, which coyotes might use to rest or raise their young.
  • Don't get too close to a coyote, and make sure to teach children to stay away from them.
  • If you know coyotes are in a certain area, avoid walking pets around dusk and dawn. 
  • On your walk, carry something that can scare the animal, like an air horn, water pistol or walking stick.
Also, while you can remove coyotes from a community, it's not going to make the problem go away. Coyotes will move into areas where others have been removed. And if coyotes feel their population in an area is being reduced, the species will actually breed more pups per litter in response.

To learn more about coyotes and other ways to protect your family and pets from coyotes, head to the FWC website.