Coyotes

It appears that coyotes are attacking people in the Los Angeles area.

I know we've had coyotes around here for a decade or more. A few weeks ago, I might have seen a dead coyote along four-lane U.S. 35 near Gallipolis. I couldn't tell for sure because I was moving too fast, but it sure didn't look like a dog, and it was too big for a fox.

A few years ago, I read a story in another newspaper where a wildlife expert said coyotes could be living down the hill from you and you would never know it. I don't know about that. I'm suspicious about several pets that have gone missing in my area in recent years. While I'm not ruling out the possibility that some other predator or a mean neighbor with a gun might have gotten them, I can't help shake the feeling that coyotes were responsible.

(Before animal welfare people tell me that all pets should remain indoors 24/7, I will say that I live in deep country. People allow animals to run free. As long as they don't bite or do any damage, people don't mind. They would rather see a dog run free than see it confined to a fenced-in yard. This item is about coyotes, not about pet welfare.).

I don't know if coyotes are about to become a menace in this area. If they do start to become a problem, I'm sure some of my neighbors who need new targets will be glad to do their parts, legally or not.