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FWC advises Pembroke Pines residents: do not feed coyotes; secure attractants, supervise pets
Summary
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist briefed the commission on coyote biology and nonlethal conflict reduction: don’t feed coyotes, secure garbage and pet food, keep pets supervised or indoors and use hazing if coyotes approach.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advised Pembroke Pines officials and residents on Aug. 6 about living with coyotes and reducing conflict.
Heather LeBlanc, a senior wildlife assistance biologist with FWC, said coyotes are a naturalized, highly adaptable species present in every Florida county and that urban coyotes maintain smaller home ranges (about 3 square miles) than those in natural areas. LeBlanc said coyotes are omnivores that take advantage of human‑provided attractants and that about 9% of coyote diets in a cited study were anthropogenic (human‑provided) food sources; the remainder included rodents, insects, plant matter and small animals.
LeBlanc’s recommendations for residents: do not intentionally feed coyotes (Florida law prohibits feeding coyotes in Broward County), secure garbage and outdoor pet food, remove fallen fruit and bird‑feeder food that draws prey animals, keep cats indoors and supervise dogs outdoors, and practice nonlethal hazing to restore coyotes’ fear of people (yelling, whistles, air horns, bouncing balls or motion‑activated sprinklers). She said coyotes are generally secretive and that documented coyote attacks on people are rare — a historical average cited was about 8.9 incidents per year in the United States (1970–2020) with two fatalities over 50 years; domestic dog bites and fatalities occur at much higher rates.
LeBlanc also said coyotes are not easily removed by trapping, because they are territorial and quickly replaced; removal is therefore rarely effective as a long‑term strategy. FWC recommended coexistence measures and provided contact information for regional FWC wildlife staff and online resources at myfwc.com/coyotes.
City response and enforcement: Mayor Angelo Castillo and other commissioners thanked FWC for the presentation and reinforced its main message: do not leave food outside. City staff noted that intentional feeding of coyotes is a violation enforceable by law, and commissioners asked staff to make the FWC guidance and the agency contact number readily available to residents.
Why it matters: With coyotes present across Broward County, the city’s approach emphasizes nonlethal prevention and resident education to reduce pet loss and rare human encounters while recognizing the species’ ecological role in controlling rodents and smaller predators.
