Health Department: Please Don't Feed the Animals

Health officials ask residents to avoid the urge to feed wildlife like foxes and coyotes, and offer tips for keeping pets safe.

Submitted by the Will County Health Department: If you live in Will County, you have probably seen deer, coyotes, foxes and other wildlife frolicking not far from your home. Local population growth has reduced animal living space and forced wildlife to seek shelter in, or very near residential communities. Lee Schild D.V.M. believes animals and humans can still coexist peacefully, but he knows that humans need to make sure wild animals don't get too close. "Wildlife can become more visible during winter and spring months," according to Schild, Will County Animal Control administrator. "Food is obviously more difficult for animals to find when temperatures drop and the snow flies. And, mating begins when winter concludes. During the next …

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Wolves in Plainfield? Resident Reports Sighting

Since 2000, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has reported several confirmed sightings — but none in Will County.

A Plainfield reader took to Patch’s Facebook page this week to report an unusual sighting. Samantha Torres said she saw a large group of what she believed to be wolves on Indian Boundary Road between Renwick and County Line roads at around 6:15 p.m. Monday. While Plainfield has had its fill of coyote sightings in recent months, Torres said the animals she saw were much bigger than coyotes, which are typically 44 to 54 inches long, 15 to 17 inches tall and weigh between 22 and 42 pounds. Sign up for the Plainfield Patch newsletter A representative from Will County Animal Control said the agency has not received any reports of wolf sightings. “There really aren’t any wolves in this area,” she said, “My first thought would be that it was a …

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More Coyote Sightings in Plainfield Possible as Mating Period Begins

Coyote mating season is approaching and sightings may become even more common throughout the next few months.

Pet owners may want to keep a closer eye on the family dog in the coming months as coyote sightings in Plainfield may become even more common. Earlier: Coyotes Spotted in Plainfield: Where You've Seen Them February through April is the typical period for coyote mating and Wheaton recently issued a warning to residents to take precautions. "Coyotes are opportunistic and will go for easy prey, such as an unattended pet," according to the notice. Cmdr. Ken Ruggles said while Plainfield police have an agreement with Will County Animal Control, local police are the first responders for residents who believe they are having a problem with coyotes. "If someonebody calls in a complaint, we send somebody out and we check out it," Ruggles said. …

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Coyotes in the Western Suburbs Get More Aggressive?

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a pack broke a door trying to get at dogs in suburban Riverside.

Coyotes are timid and more afraid of people than we are of them, experts say. "Coyotes are actually very timid by nature," Channahon police Lt. Mark Fischer said in a 2010 Patch story. But while they are not aggressive towards people, they can go after small animals, especially if food is scarce. That seems to be exactly what happened in Riverside, a western suburb of Chicago. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a pack broke an exterior door of a residence while chasing down a dog that had been outside. In October we compiled a map of places you had seen the coyotes in our area. Read: Coyotes Spotted in Plainfield: Where You've Seen Them Riverside Police Sgt Bill Gutschick said in the Sun-Times story "in his 25 years on duty, this was …

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Coyotes in Plainfield: Where They've Been Spotted and What You Should Know

The elusive animals don't typically pose a threat, but there are some precautions you can take to keep your pets and property safe.

Coyotes Spotted in Plainfield: Where You've Seen Them

We compiled a map of recent coyote sightings in and around town. Here's what you need to know about the elusive animals.

Have you seen any coyotes lurking around town recently? If so, you're among other Patch readers who've already sent in their spotting locations. Now, we're not telling you this to scare you. In fact, according to the Cook County Coyote Project, there hasn't been a documented case of a coyote attacking a human in Illinois since at least 1985—the beginning range of the study. On top of that, there have only been two cases of coyotes killing a human in the U.S. and Canada in modern history. That said, residents are reporting interactions with local coyotes and we want to keep those numbers from getting any higher. Coyotes typically come out at night. If you see a coyote during the day, that's an indication the animal may be bolder and …

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