Video captures image of coyote prowling at night

A chilling video captured the image of a coyote prowling at night this week near the Villages of Parkwood.

Two dogs in The Villages were snatched by coyotes during the month of July.

Most recently, a five-year-old Chihuahua-Miniature Pinscher mix was nabbed by what is believed to have been a coyote in the Village of Pennecamp.

Earlier in the month, a 13-pound Chihuahua was killed during an early morning outing in the Village of Tall Trees.

Most coyote attacks on pets occur either at night or in the early evening and early morning hours, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The presence of coyotes has been documented in all 67 Florida counties.

The FWC offers these tips to keep you and your pets safe when it comes to coyotes: 

• Be careful if you’re going to walk your pet in wooded areas or areas where there are a lot of other plants growing, which could hide coyotes. Also, keep your dog close, on a short leash.

• Keep cats indoors. When cats roam freely there is an increased risk that they could be attacked by coyotes. 

• Be cautious if you are going to pick up your pet when you see a coyote. Picking up a pet may stop a coyote attack, but it can also lead to a situation in which an aggressive coyote continues to go after that pet while in the arms of a person.