Middletown residents demand action amid continuous coyote encounters

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (WJAR) — Residents of a Middletown community are speaking out with frustrations over continuous encounters with coyotes.

The sightings are occurring almost daily at Bay Ridge Condominiums off Forest Avenue, according to three neighbors who all regularly take their dogs for walks in the area.

"They just are like hanging around. They're literally just sitting in the street," Melanie Wolf told NBC 10 News. "I'm always concerned that one is lurking around the corner, which has happened several times."

Wolf, along with her neighbors Sharon Hussey and Suzanne Saraniti, expressed fears that the coyotes may one day get startled and then become aggressive.

"It's daunting to come out and walk your dog and not know whether or not you're going to get attacked or the dog is going to get attacked," said Hussey.

The residents said they've shared their concerns with others in their association and asked neighbors to remove any potential food sources.

They also said they've called the state and town for help, but the coyotes keep coming.

"I have called Fish and Wildlife. I have called the police," said Wolf. "There's people 'working on it', but there has been no action."

Dr. Numi Mitchell, with Narragansett Bay Coyote Study, said reports of coyotes on Forest Avenue have been ongoing for years.

Mitchell said she believes the coyotes are returning because they’re being fed -- either intentionally or unintentionally.

"If you just eliminate food subsidies for coyotes, they will not hang around," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said people can also try to scare coyotes off by making noise and appearing aggressive themselves.

"Big, mean and loud," she said.

But Saraniti, who has a 9-month old Collie named Milo, told NBC 10 those tactics have not always worked with the coyotes in her neighborhood and that some seem to have become desensitized to humans.

"If I clap real loud or scream, some will run -- some will sit," she said.

Saraniti said she, too, has reached out to town and state officials to express her concerns and demand action.

"We shouldn't have to worry about our pets, our children, our grandchildren," she said.

Middletown is one of many Rhode Island towns that has a no-feeding ordinance for coyotes. Violators can face steep fines, if caught.

Residents can submit reports of sightings to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and view tips on what do if they encounter a coyote here.