The answer to the question of petting a coyote is an absolute no. The coyote (Canis latrans) is an extremely adaptable and opportunistic wild canid that has successfully expanded its range into nearly all North American environments, including dense urban areas. While often observed in neighborhoods, they remain undomesticated predators whose presence warrants respect and distance. Any attempt to interact with a coyote poses significant risks to human health and ultimately threatens the animal’s life, which is why such contact is widely discouraged and frequently illegal.
Health Risks from Direct Contact
Physical contact with a coyote exposes humans and pets to several zoonotic pathogens and parasites. Rabies is the most feared disease, a fatal viral infection of the central nervous system that coyotes can carry and transmit through a bite or scratch, or when infected saliva comes into contact with an open wound or mucous membrane. An animal infected with rabies may display abnormal behavior, such as a lack of fear of humans, making an approach particularly dangerous.
Coyotes are also hosts for Sarcoptes scabiei mites, which cause sarcoptic mange, a debilitating skin disease. This highly contagious condition can be transferred to domestic dogs and, in a temporary form known as scabies, to humans through direct contact.
Additionally, coyotes are definitive hosts for the parasitic tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, particularly prevalent in urban populations. The eggs of this tapeworm are shed in coyote feces and can lead to a severe, tumor-like condition in humans called alveolar echinococcosis (AE), which is potentially fatal if left untreated. Humans can become infected accidentally by ingesting the microscopic eggs from contaminated soil, vegetation, or from the fur of a pet that has rolled in an infected area.
Understanding Coyote Behavior and Aggression
Coyotes possess unpredictable wild instincts, meaning their reactions are not governed by the social conditioning of a domesticated animal. While most coyotes naturally exhibit an innate wariness of humans, this protective instinct can be rapidly eroded by human behavior, a process known as habituation. This habituation occurs when coyotes learn to associate human presence with a reliable food source, whether intentional feeding or unintentional attractants like pet food and garbage.
This loss of natural fear is the primary driver of human-coyote conflict, leading to bold behavior like approaching people during the day or lingering in residential areas. Aggressive encounters are generally categorized as either defensive or predatory. Defensive aggression typically involves protecting a den site or young pups, especially during the spring denning season.
Predatory aggression is often a direct result of food conditioning, where the coyote views humans or small pets as potential prey or a source of a meal. When coyotes lose their fear, they may escalate from observing to testing boundaries, which can manifest as following people or challenging pets. Research suggests that the boldness learned by habituated adult coyotes is passed down to their offspring, increasing the risk of conflict across generations.
Legal and Ethical Implications of Wildlife Habituation
Attempting to pet or feed a coyote is frequently a violation of state or local wildlife ordinances. Many jurisdictions have specific laws that prohibit the feeding of non-domesticated mammals, often classifying the action as harassment of wildlife. These laws cover both intentional feeding and unintentional provisioning, such as leaving pet food outside or failing to secure garbage cans. Penalties for violating these ordinances can include significant fines that escalate with repeat violations.
Beyond the legal consequences, the act of habituating a coyote carries a profound ethical implication for the animal itself. By associating people with food, the coyote’s behavior becomes problematic, leading to an increased risk of aggressive encounters.
Wildlife management agencies generally follow a policy where coyotes displaying aggressive or bold, habituated behavior must be removed for public safety. Because relocation is often illegal, impractical, or simply passes the problem to a new area, these problem animals are typically euthanized. Consequently, feeding or encouraging a coyote to approach is often described by experts as unintentionally signing the animal’s “death warrant”.
Safe Encounters: Deterring and Reacting to Coyotes
The safest approach is to prevent coyotes from becoming comfortable on your property by removing attractants. This passive deterrence involves securing all outdoor food sources, including pet food, bird seed, and accessible garbage. Fencing that is at least six feet high with an outward-facing overhang and a buried apron can also effectively exclude coyotes from yards.
If you encounter a coyote that approaches or lingers, the recommended response is called “hazing,” which aims to re-establish the animal’s natural fear of humans. The immediate reaction should be to stop, pick up small children and pets, and never turn your back or run, as running can trigger a predatory chase response.
To haze the animal, make yourself appear as large and intimidating as possible by standing tall, waving your arms, and shouting aggressively with a deep voice. Effective noisemakers include whistles, air horns, or a “shaker can” filled with coins. You can also throw small, non-injurious objects like tennis balls or sticks toward the animal to startle it. Continue hazing until the coyote completely leaves the area, ensuring it receives a consistently negative experience from every human encounter.