Wildlife experts are warning South Bay residents not to leave trash and pet food outside their houses after two coyote sightings were reported last week in Los Gatos.
A larger number of coyotes are heading into populated areas in search for food, experts said, urging people to be cautious and stay at least 20 feet away, if they come across the animals.
“I think the main problem is humans,” said Ashley Kinney with the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley. “People leave their trash and pet food out and it's like a buffet for these animals."
Without access to easy meals, coyotes are more likely to move on from the area.
On Sunday, a coyote reportedly snatched a small dog off a San Francisco doorstep – something that Paul Garneau, of Los Gatos, has seen first-hand.
“My wife heard something on the side of the house and I woke to see a coyote with our neighbor’s cat in his jaw, running down the street,” he said.