Coyote spotted in Jacksonville by family

A coyote has been spotted Saturday morning in neighborhood in Jacksonville.

The animal was seen in Grove Park on Aires Road by a resident who saw the animal walking and sniffing around someone's yard.

Neighbors said the coyote was circling the area for about a day.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers said the animal walking about in that manner is a sign of distemper and the coyote had to be put down.

“That’s definitely a concern that a sick animal was out and about,” neighbor Valeria Ortiz said.

Dr. Shashi GaliPalli at Baymeadows Animal Hospital  said that distemper is a contagious and often fatal infection for dogs that 's closely linked with the measles virus in humans.

“It affects the brain or the central nervous system. They actually show the symptoms of circling, chomping of the jaws," GaliPalli said.

GaliPalli said it's best to stay away from a wild coyote even if it seems friendly.

“It’s better to stay away from the wild animals because it’s hard to vaccinate them for any reason. We don’t know what kind of conditions they’d have,” GaliPalli said.

Neighbors said they were concerned of the coyote coming in contact with their pets.

“I didn’t want the coyote to bite the dog that I’m dogsitting,”resident Jeff Salter said.

The sighting comes after coyotes reportedly being seen in Neptune Beach on Oct. 30.

Coyotes usually do not pose a threat but if someone sees the animal, the commission recommends trying to frighten it away.

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FFWCC said if a coyote approaches a child, the animal can be scared away by an adult yelling while moving towards the coyote. Quickly move the child and back away from the animal.

The commission also recommends residents to not run from a coyote, which might encourage the animal to chase.

Coyotes tend to prey on small animals like cats and dogs. To protect pets, the commission said to keep cats inside the house at night and dogs should be walked on a short lease in case approached by a coyote.

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