GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — A pair of coyote attacks in Greenwood Village on Tuesday morning have neighbors mourning the loss of their family pets.
“My dogs were barking and I looked out my window, and unfortunately saw the lifeless body of one of our pet bunnies,” said Keena Metcalf.
Metcalf showed Fox31 Denver the fenced in cage where the family kept their bunnies. Despite being enclosed and in a corner near the garage, Metcalf says coyotes broke through.
“They ripped through this zip tie and we think they just pulled them through (the fence),” Metcalf said.
Minutes later the family learned they weren’t alone. The coyotes also killed the a neighbor’s Bassett puppy by pulling it partially through a new backyard fence they built to protect it.
“I grew up in the mountains and it wasn’t unusual for us to lose pets to mountain lions or coyotes, but we live in the city of Greenwood Village and I guess we think we’re protecting our animals by fencing them in and building cages,” Metcalf said. “I think this coyote population or this particular pack is very aggressive, and they’re not afraid of humans. They’re coming right up to our doorstep.”
Greenwood Village and many other communities prohibit residents from shooting coyotes, but in cases like these, officers will sometimes use lethal options if coyotes become dangerous.
Metcalf said she and her neighbor signed waivers allowing officers to shoot coyotes on their property if necessary.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife coyotes are growing more active right now as they begin to have pups and are looking for extra food.