The coyotes are especially hungry this year, probably due to the extreme dryness and the fact that they had such large litters last year. This makes it more dangerous then usual for any outdoor pet, even if it is on a leash or in a fenced yard.

Just this last week I heard four scary tales involving coyotes and dogs. The first was a pair of women walking midday in a vineyard with a Jack Russell off leash. One quick, “YIP!” from the dog as a coyote snatched the pet and ran under the fence with it.

Another daylight sighting was on Alamo Pintado in Solvang where one of our fosters saw a coyote cross in front of her car with a Pomeranian in its mouth.

The third happened in Santa Maria just outside of the Animal Shelter on Foster road. One of the staff was taking a Chihuahua for a walk on the path next to the building. A coyote came out of the bushes and snatched the little dog but because of the leash, the woman was able to save the animal.

A sadder tale happened in Montecito when an elderly woman was walking her dog on leash. A coyote jumped the fence next to her, grabbed the pet and took off with the lady watching helplessly.

Desperately hungry indeed to be brazen enough to come so close to humans.

One of our foster families in Los Alamos spotted a coyote in the front yard across the street at 8:30 in the morning, looking for the street cats no doubt. More and more daylight sightings are being shared with me, all of them sobering. Is it any wonder why we urge indoors only when we adopt out kittens?

Many of our TNR’d cats have been turning up missing recently, including kittens which we have been forced to release because adoptions are down this year all over the county. Even the savvy barn cats are disappearing. I had a very sad call this week from a woman with whom I had placed three littermates that I had fostered a year ago. There is but one left and that one is acting very agitated, probably because she saw and/or heard her sister grabbed.

As beautiful as nature can be, there is a very brutal side to it. Please protect your pets, especially if they are small. They are no match for Wiley Coyote.