Westport Animal Control Officer Nick Vidmar sees his share of coyotes. This year their  behavior has not been normal, he said, and residents should take heed.

Vidmar spoke before the board of health last week, giving a roughly 30-minute presentation on coyotes — their habits, how to avoid them, how to keep pets safe, and how to live in harmony with them. It is an especially important topic this year, as the unseasonably warm winter has "definitely changed their behavior," he said.

"There's been a lot of activity, especially with the warmer weather. They're confused" about the season.

Vidmar gets four or five coyote calls a week, most of which are just sightings. But in December he dealt with the first unprovoked attack on a pet he has seen since he started on the job in 2019.

A woman off Pine Hill Road called after one got into her backyard and attacked her medium-sized dog just outside the back door. The dog was injured, treated and under town by-laws, placed in 45-day quarantine, which just recently concluded.

"She said she was just inside for a split second, looked out and saw (the coyote) attacking her dog," he said.

Vidmar said the unseasonably warm winter, coinciding with coyotes' current January-March mating season, could make encounters with humans and pets more likely. Though encounters are rare, people should be cautious, never chase after them and try to keep away.

Though very rare, most conflicts with humans occur when coyotes feel threatened or cornered, he said, and most of the pet conflicts he's seen have come when a family dog spotted one and gave chase.

He said it is important to not give the animals reasons to hang around.

"In the Spring they will use your deck, or your shed, for a den," he said. "Let me tell you, it's not a pretty sight having a coyote living under your porch. If they find that your farm is a nice place to live, they'll stay there. They've got food, they've got water and they've got shelter. Once they're there, they're there for a long time and it can be difficult to get them out."

Attempting to trap them does not work, he said. The most effective steps to keep them away include not leaving pets outdoors and unattended, eliminating pet food and water outside, covering garbage can lids, openings under the house or shed, keeping dogs leashed while on walks, and never cornering them if avoidable.

If you see or have an encounter with a coyote, Vidmar said "hazing" them — scaring them away — is preferable to lethal actions, though he said farmers protecting their crops and livestock sometimes have to do what they have to do. In most cases, though, coyotes will scare off with loud noises.

"When people call me saying they have a coyote in their yard, I say, 'OK, find something that makes a loud noise. Bang a trash can lid with a stick, fill a soda can with stones and shake it — you want to run the coyote off."

Spraying them with water from a hose or squirt gun is also effective, as is throwing objects at them — baseballs, rocks, sticks and the like, he said.

"Continue to haze," he said. "The more you do it, the more the animals will learn (to) stay away."

And most importantly, "remember we were here after them."

If you have an encounter with a coyote or other wildlife, contact Vidmar at 774-264-5129.