MIAMI SPRINGS, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Springs Police confirmed one of their officers shot and killed a roaming coyote that had residents on edge, but the decision is not sitting well with some residents.
After fielding several phone calls from neighbors on edge, police said they had no other choice but to kill the coyote on Friday night after attempts by wildlife authorities to contain and relocate the animal did not work.
A statement released by the police department on Monday reads in part:
“After assessing the environment and ensuring a safe backdrop, the responding officer discharged his duty weapon and killed the coyote.”
7News asked several residents to weigh in on the police department’s decision.
Area resident Michelle Diehl is breathing a sigh of relief.
“I’m glad the police did what they had to do, and they’re keeping our community safe,” she said.
But others think the animal should have been spared.
“That’s so wrong. I mean, they should move him to another place instead of kill him,” said another area resident.
This all comes after the coyote had been spotted several times late last week lurking in yards near the 100 block of Shadow Way.
Yolanda Sauer said she first saw the predator in her yard just as she was taking out her Chihuahua, Friday morning.
“He jumped the fence into this neighbor’s house, then he jumped from there to – I guess to the back,” she said.
Sauer’s son, Charles, lives next door, and he said the family was not just concerned for their safety but their pets’ well-being as well.
“We have African sulcata tortoises. He just went up to it and just was, like, sniffing it, and the tortoise didn’t seem fazed by it,” said Charles.
Surveillance footage captured the moment when the coyote sizing up one of Charles’ tortoises. The four-legged intruder stared down the reptiles before turning around and leaving.
While residents were nervous about the potential danger that the coyote presented, they were hoping it could be relocated safely.
“I don’t want to see it hurt, but I don’t want to see a child hurt, either,” said Sauer.
The police department’s statement reads in part:
“This outcome is never what we prefer, but the decision was made after thorough evaluation with the sole intent of protecting the residents of Miami Springs.”
Police said they explored other options, but this was ultimately the safest way to handle the situation.
7News has reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to confirm if the Miami Springs Police Department attempted to reach out to them for assistance with the coyote.
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