Viral video of coyote grabbing and dragging toddler sparks concerns in Winter Park

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Video out of California shows a coyote pulling a toddler to the ground and starting to drag her in the middle of the day. The girl’s dad jumped in to save her and scared the coyote away.

"Especially seeing that video for the little toddler that the coyote attacked, I mean, they’re starving. Even for little kids," Tina Rek, a Winter Park resident, said.

People on Westchester Avenue in Winter Park said coyotes are familiar guests there. Just last year, Rek said a coyote killed her cat named Baby. 

"It was horrific. I never imagined that this was going to happen to us," Rek said.

Now Rek said a coyote has been lurking near her home every night for the last month. Surveillance video shows it sniffing around her door. With three dogs and a few cats, she’s worried about their safety.

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"I’m afraid, you know, scared to go out even to my backyard with the dog. I have a flashlight and a stick," Rek said.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, if you see a coyote while you’re out walking your dog or in your yard, you should make a loud noise to scare it away. You can also use motion-activated sprinklers or a loud alarm noise.