MT. PLEASANT, SC – Homeowners in a Mount Pleasant neighborhood say they are scared and very concerned as an increasing number of coyotes have been spotted roaming the streets and killing their pets.
Joanne Brockway says she has lived in the Brickyard Plantation neighborhood for 20 years and has never seen coyotes before last month. “One day our son let the golden retriever out and the coyote was in the yard. The dog and the coyote were chasing each other around the yard until the coyote took off,” said Brockway.
At first it was sightings, but now pets are going missing.
Brockway told News 2, “Recently you’re seeing, literally, multiple posters of cats missing. Different cats from different areas missing from the neighborhood, and that’s what makes it sort of eerie; that the coyotes are definitely here and they’re doing that.”
15-year-old Dean Barto says his cat went missing two months ago. “I got back from vacation and I was asking my dad questions. He didn’t know where the cat was and we haven’t seen him in about two months. He’s a pretty tough cat so I think he might have got eaten by coyotes…it’s pretty sad.”
John Arent says his 4-year-old son has seen the coyotes in the backyard of his grandparents’ home. Just last week, Arent’s cat, Grey, went missing. Arent said, “I’ve had her 7 years and she’s never been gone like this. She’s in and out of the house so much, so there’s no way, and the dog has been acting funny too. Last night in the yard he was going around the fence and you could hear something…so we don’t know.”
The Mount Pleasant Police Department confirms a dog was attacked by a coyote on September 6th. Authorities were also called for three of the sightings in Brickyard Plantation.
The neighborhood’s home owners association says residents can put out their own traps.
Officials encourage everyone to keep dog and cat food inside.
Anyone with an “outdoor cat” is also encouraged to keep them inside.
A neighborhood group has been logging the sightings over the last few months. Since August 1st there have been 24 sightings logged by residents in this neighborhood; seven total interactions with pets; at least four interactions with residents who came in contact with a coyote; at least three cats reported missing, one dismembered cat; and one dog was attacked.