Unwelcome coyote moves into West Allis neighborhood

WEST ALLIS - If it wasn't for Al Gebert's two dogs, he says he wouldn't know about the coyote.

"My dog kept coming to the corner fence and was crying and sniffing. (The coyote) never made a sound," Gebert said.

After those constant reminders from his dogs, Gebert says he decided to look over the fence, and he remembers seeing two big eyes in the darkness.

"He just stays right in there and just lays in there all day long. When I come out in the morning he's there, and even up to the night time he stays there," Gebert said.

Gebert says it's been three weeks since he discovered the coyote, and he is afraid of what could happen if he tries to scare it away.

"If he leaves here, I don't know where he's going to go. There's too many small children and small animals in the neighborhood," Gebert said.

Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer from the Wisconsin Humane Society says food and habitat drives coyotes to an area.

"There's less habitat available. Human encroachment is really taking up a lot of valuable real estate. They may be going a little farther than they usually are looking for a mate and also looking for an appropriate den site," Sharlow-Schaefer said.

However, Sharlow-Schaefer says neighbors shouldn't panic, but they also need to do their part to prevent coyotes from making a home on their property.

"Make sure that you're feeding your pets inside, not having food out there. That will be one thing that won't attract the coyotes," Sharlow-Schaefer said.