A bold coyote targets leashed dogs in a Seattle park, and the footage is stirring debate about urban wildlife. During Thanksgiving weekend, cellphone video from Volunteer Park captured a coyote looming near a group of small dogs in broad daylight, while a bystander shouted warnings and made noise to deter the animal.
SEATTLE — City officials are coordinating with state wildlife experts after several aggressive coyote sightings were reported at two of the area’s busiest parks. In one incident captured on video, a coyote moving through Volunteer Park during daytime showed clear interest in nearby dogs. The recording captures spectators raising alarms as the animal lingers nearby.
The person who shot the video, Jason Williams, described the encounter as unprecedented for him. “I’ve never seen a coyote behave like this in the middle of the day, actively seeking a meal. It’s very unusual,” he said.
Williams, who was strolling with his own dog at the time, noted that the coyote seemed focused on two other dogs in the vicinity. “He was heading straight for them. You could tell what he wanted,” he recalled.
In the clip, Williams can be heard shouting and making loud sounds to scare the coyote away, a tactic wildlife officials often recommend during sudden encounters. “I was worried,” he said. “I feared one of the dogs could be harmed.”
There were no injuries reported, and the coyote eventually fled. Nonetheless, the incident has amplified concerns about urban wildlife becoming increasingly unafraid of people.
Seattle Parks and Recreation said it is working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to monitor coyote activity at Volunteer Park and the Washington Park Arboretum. Officials warn that some coyotes in these areas have become dangerously habituated to humans and to food left by people.
In some cases, trapping and euthanasia may be deemed necessary. Last month, wildlife teams killed a coyote in the Arboretum after reports that it seized a leashed dog and grabbed a coat containing food from a park visitor.
“Coyotes are growing bolder and less wary of people,” Williams noted.
Signage now advises park visitors to keep dogs on leashes, avoid feeding coyotes, and follow safety tips if a coyote exhibits aggression. Authorities say to call 911 in the event of an attack, or contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for non-emergency sightings.
