Police: Two Coyotes Spotted in Rye Brook In Recent Days

Two coyote sightings were reported to the Rye Brook Police Department over the past week.

The first was reported on May 6 at 7:18 a.m., when a resident on Sleepy Hollow Road reported seeing one of the animals. A patrolman responded and checked the area, but the coyote was gone by the time he arrived, according to police.

A second sighting was reported on Monday, when a caller reported spotting a coyote on Country Ridge Road. Like the earlier case, an officer searched the area, but the elusive animal was gone.

The sightings are the first reported since January of this year, when Port Chester police in a one-mile stretch between Tower Hill Drive and Chestnut Street. In those cases, residents reported sightings in wooded areas and told police they'd caught the animals feeding from their garbage cans.

At the time, Port Chester police issued a warning to residents, asking them to be more alert and to secure trash areas to discourage coyotes from getting close to homes and apartment buildings. In addition to the Chestnut Hill Apartments, the area includes Lyon Park.

On Thursday, Port Chester police said they'd received several dog-related complaints over the past month, but Lt. James Ladeairous said there had been no coyote sightings reported in Port Chester.

In Rye Brook, police confirmed some of the sightings in recent weeks may have been foxes or dogs – which can often be confused for coyotes, especially at a distance – but Lt. Eugene Matthews said some of the sightings were legitimate.

The coyotes "all appear to be healthy animals," Matthews said.

That's a concern because of one of several high-profile incidents last year, including a September case where that had rabies and was feeding on one of her own pups. Police believe that animal may have been responsible for two earlier attacks on young children in the area.

In addition, Rye police shot and , and authorities from several police departments have worked closely with after last year's coyote attacks caused panic in several Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester neighborhoods.

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