Oxford Lakes resident Tim Balch is warning his neighbors about a coyote he spotted in the village subdivision.
‘I am not sure if the coyote will bother stray cats and small dogs in the neighborhood, but it will be beneficial to let families of small children know that the animal is in the sub,? Balch wrote in a July 14 e-mail alerting the Leader to the situation.
He first sighted the coyote around 9:30 p.m. July 13 in the open field behind his home at 623 Thornehill Trail.
Between 60 and 70 yards yards away from the house, the coyote was laying on a dirt mound in the field ? part of a wooded area wrapping around the subdivision’s northern and western portions ? looking ‘fat and sassy,? according to Balch, who’s shot video of the animal and taken some digital photos.
After a short while, the coyote stood up, wandered into the woods and disappeared, he said.
Around 6 a.m. the next day Balch said his wife spotted the coyote in their backyard within 10 to15 yards of the house.
‘This is concerning,? he said. ‘I wonder if he is looking for food scraps or garbage.?
‘Hopefully, my neighbors do not leave dog food on their back porches, which could attract the animal up to a home,? Balch added.
When this reporter arrived at Balch’s house shortly after 6 p.m. July 14, the coyote was again in the field about 60 to 70 yards away from the house. Balch said the animal had been there since 5:30 p.m. An attempt to get a better view of the critter from Balch’s backyard spooked the coyote, who retreated back into the woods.
Balch said he informed his neighbors, who have small children ranging from age 1 to 6, about the critter.
‘They are much more concerned,? he said.
Balch has two boys, ages 12 and 14.
‘I am concerned, but not overly,? he said. ‘The boys don’t spend much time in the field. They do play in the yard and we do spend time on the back patio in the evenings. I believe that since there is room for the coyote to move about back there, he will move away from the boys.?
As for pets, Balch said, ‘If I did have a cat that went outside, I would be concerned.?
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources? website, ‘Coyotes rarely attack humans. Bites from snakes, rodents, and domestic dogs are a far greater possibility than coyote bites, according to public health authorities.?
Still, the DNR warns people to ‘never approach or touch a coyote? and certainly ‘never intentionally feed a coyote.?
‘Coyotes that are fed become accustomed to people and present a human safety risk,? according to www.michigan.gov/dnr. ‘People should never intentionally feed or attempt to tame coyotes. It is in the best interest of both coyotes and humans if coyotes retain their instinctive fear of people.?
If anyone in Oxford Lakes or anywhere else in the village sights a coyote, Oxford Village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski asks them to please call his department at (248) 628-2581.