WILTON MANORS, FLA. (WSVN) - Residents of a South Florida community are on alert after spotting a coyote roaming through their neighborhood.
Wilton Manors resident Steven Jacobson said he was enjoying a routine Sunday morning prior to the wild sight.
“I got up about 6:30, I made a pot of coffee, and I let the dogs out to do their business, and I was sitting over on my chair right along the water,” he said.
But thinks took an unexpected turn when, across the canal behind his home, Jacobson spotted a furry visitor that would likely not get along with his two small dogs.
“Another few minutes, I looked over, and I noticed, that’s not a normal dog,” he said.
Jacobson said he retrieved his cellphone.
“I got my iPhone, I started taking videos, and then I could blow up the image on the phone, and I could tell that it was a coyote,” he said.
The prairie wolf is seen staring down the camera in one of the pictures Jacobson took.
Jacobson was far from the only witness. Other neighbors took to social media to share videos of the wild animal.
“The dogs were barking, running around, so he would stare right at us, looking at the dogs,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson and his pets were just fine, but he did want to share the sighting with neighbors, just to be safe.
“I’m concerned about small kids, toddlers and small animals like mine,” he said. “My dogs are only like eight pounds each.”
Coyotes can weigh anywhere from 15 to 45 pounds, but this one was apparently just out for a Sunday stroll.
“I don’t want anything to happen to the coyote, but I just want people to be aware of it,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson said he called the police department to let them know, saying he wasn’t scared, but once he learned coyotes can swim, he wanted to alert neighbors as well.
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