South Connellsville official refutes stories of coyotes eating cats
South Connellsville Councilwoman Karen Holbrook said stories of coyotes eating cats in South Connellsville have been exaggerated.
Holbrook said there have been occasional coyote sightings in the borough, which is located near Casparis woods and state game lands.
“I do not know of any specific case of a confirmed coyote eating someone's cat,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook said the stories of coyotes eating cats have been circulating throughout the borough.
Doug Bergman, a wildlife conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, said he receives very few calls concerning coyote problems, even though there is a healthy population in the state of coyotes. There's sightings in all the counties.
Bergman added that he probably received a couple of calls this year over coyotes in Fayette County but hadn't received any calls of coyote complaints in South Connellsville for years.
However, Bergman said a town with a population of feral cats located near the woods could attract coyotes to the area as the predators can deem cats as a food source.
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission website, coyotes are opportunists. They'll eat almost anything and spend considerable time mousing. The website says coyotes will settle for a rotting road-kill deer, or a cat or small dog that strays too far from the house.
Coyotes raising young can be a problem for farmers during spring and summer. Sheep, chickens and ducks are especially vulnerable. Most times, coyotes kill what they need and leave with it. But on occasion they seem to go on killing sprees.
Once an animal that could be found only in Pennsylvania's most remote settings, coyotes have been discovered closer and closer to civilization, according to the website.
Holbrook is looking into alternatives for the borough's stray cat and dog problem.
The subject of animal control in South Connellsville is not a new one. The borough has had issues with feral cats and aggressive dogs for months.
Holbrook said while there are many responsible cat owners, some people who get tired of them as they grow from kittens to adults put them outside and leave them to fend for themselves.
“I believe that if you are going to take a pet into your home that you have a responsibility to that pet to care for it for its life span,” Holbrook said. She said the responsibility of being a pet owner doesn't end at providing food and water. “The responsible pet owner will have their pets spayed or neutered, keep it up to date on all necessary shots and provide food and shelter.”
Holbrook said the borough has problems with dog owners not obeying the leash law.
“This is in place for the safety of the animals as well as residents,” Holbrook said. “If your dog is leashed, there is a much smaller chance of it being hurt from traffic or another animal. If it is let run loose, there are many situations where the animal could be hurt.”
She said the borough has dealt with issues involving aggressive dogs that have chased residents and harmed other pets.
“The leash law is in place for everyone's safety,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook said the leash law includes cats. “If you have a pet cat that likes to go outside, it is supposed to be kept on your own property and on a leash.”
With the borough's animal issues in the spotlight, Holbrook is researching to find animal control agencies that have a no-kill policy or a catch, spay/neuter and release policy.
The borough's animal control agency, Hoffman Animal Control of Delmont, is not a no-kill shelter, but the borough is under contract with the agency until January.
Holbrook plans to present animal control options to the public and council over the next few months.
“I hope that we can find an organization that will help us solve our animal issues,” Holbrook said. “I do not want to see any animal harmed. I want to do what is best for the residents of our borough, and that means keeping them safe and allow them to live in a place they can be proud of.”
Mark Hofmann is a staff writer with Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-626-3539 or mhofmann@tribweb.com.
