They also consume birds, snakes, insects, and fish. Coyotes rarely kill prey larger than itself but will scavenge on a fresh carcass. The majority of these cases occurred when people tried to hand-feed the animal. However, pets should be kept indoors or walked on leashes, especially at night. Free-running pets are exposed to many hazards, with coyotes being far from the biggest threat.
Coyotes learn humans' habits.
This usually occurs when a female dog is in heat. More often it happens when a coyote den is nearby. Dogs may attract an adult coyote's attention because they represent a challenge for the coyote's territory. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. People need to learn to keep their dogs on leashes.