MIAMISBURG -- Some people living in one Miamisburg neighborhood have been having some outsiders prowling around their yards, it's not people, but coyotes.
"I heard my dog bark and when I looked up she as running towards the backyard and a coyote was running along the woods line over there," said Mark Kassman, lives in Miamisburg neighborhood.
According to the Ohio Department of Wildlife, the population of coyotes is growing, not only in the state of Ohio, but in the Miami Valley.
They blame it on the clearing of forests, because coyotes prefer clearings so they can catch their prey, mice.
Despite the growing population, it's still shocking to those living in the area to not only see one coyote, but six in their backyard.
"We've had coyotes in the area before, and I was more worried about the animals, the other dogs in the area," said Kassman.
While its diet consists mostly of mice, they can attack small animals like dogs or cats.
Wildlife experts say they're lured onto your property by enticing smells like food left in trash, or an unclean grill.
"Make sure that you don't approach them and pet them just like you wouldn't any wild animal I would make sure you didn't fee them," said Captain Tom Thompson, Miamisburg Police Department.
Feeding them only encourages them to stick around and makes them less fearful of humans.
If you want to scare them off, all it takes is some noise.
Meanwhile, though, Kassman is happy his guard dog alerted him to the danger, so he can alert his neighbors.
"Just be on the watch out, we saw them earlier this week not even sure if they're still around anymore, but just keep and eye out for your animals and pets," said Kassman.
If they do become a nuisance in your neighborhood, contact the Ohio Department of Wildlife, they can put you in contact with a local trapper who can remove them safely from the area.
The Miamisburg Police Department wanted to remind those living in the city that you cannot shoot coyotes within city limits.
"I heard my dog bark and when I looked up she as running towards the backyard and a coyote was running along the woods line over there," said Mark Kassman, lives in Miamisburg neighborhood.
According to the Ohio Department of Wildlife, the population of coyotes is growing, not only in the state of Ohio, but in the Miami Valley.
They blame it on the clearing of forests, because coyotes prefer clearings so they can catch their prey, mice.
Despite the growing population, it's still shocking to those living in the area to not only see one coyote, but six in their backyard.
"We've had coyotes in the area before, and I was more worried about the animals, the other dogs in the area," said Kassman.
While its diet consists mostly of mice, they can attack small animals like dogs or cats.
Wildlife experts say they're lured onto your property by enticing smells like food left in trash, or an unclean grill.
"Make sure that you don't approach them and pet them just like you wouldn't any wild animal I would make sure you didn't fee them," said Captain Tom Thompson, Miamisburg Police Department.
Feeding them only encourages them to stick around and makes them less fearful of humans.
If you want to scare them off, all it takes is some noise.
Meanwhile, though, Kassman is happy his guard dog alerted him to the danger, so he can alert his neighbors.
"Just be on the watch out, we saw them earlier this week not even sure if they're still around anymore, but just keep and eye out for your animals and pets," said Kassman.
If they do become a nuisance in your neighborhood, contact the Ohio Department of Wildlife, they can put you in contact with a local trapper who can remove them safely from the area.
The Miamisburg Police Department wanted to remind those living in the city that you cannot shoot coyotes within city limits.