Quote:
Originally Posted by njbchbum
I don't have a a pet to walk [other than my husband  ] before or after dark. I understand anyone's fear of gators, coyotes, and even dogs. What I don't understand is the intense desire of pet owners/dog walkers to have coyotes trapped and killed rather than exercise personal responsibility to do their best to avoid them. What am I missing? |
One dog snatched and two cats more than probably taken from lanais. These were all near golf courses. Dogs have been snatched by alligators but there is usually a negligent dog walker involved going too close to a pond. I do emphasize common sense in my own actions and carry a whistle and three of four golf balls on night walks. And I would be screaming at a coyote -- I hope-- if it approached me and my dog.
As many know I have been a victim advocate of sorts focusing my efforts on education about the rights and services available to them aggressively on-and-off since 1992 based on my experiences in Reno, Nevada connected with the 2-24-1976 murder of Michelle Mitchell. A sad fact still is that many crimes are never reported to police for a variety of reasons one of them being embarrassment. That's probably why you have not heard about these cat snatchings as the people might be afraid that they would be blamed in some way.
You would be surprised how many law students at the University of Minnesota Law School in 1986-1989 were victims of crimes --some even committed by other law students-- and they usually never reported these crimes because of fear of losing other people's respect. Many shared their experiences with me when word about my own experiences was circulated.
I do not think this is hysteria about the coyotes especially in the areas where they have just recently been pushed out of their territories because of house building south of CR466A. The sightings in the newest areas of the Villages show this.
I do think trapping coyotes in preserves is idiotic. It sounds like something from a
Saturday Night Life skit. That's the coyotes and other animals natural habitat. It would be a very negligent dog walker to go out there unless perhaps the dog was lost in that area.
My point in this is that coyote sightings and snatchings are probably just shared between caring friends and not reported especially if the pet owner feels like he or she could have done more to protect the pet that was taken.