An Irving resident says he's concerned about coyotes he's spotted roaming around his home.
Cory McMurray, who moved to Irving in May, took videos seeing the wild animals several times near his property.
"My wife was like, 'Honey, do you see that? Like, is that a dog?' I said, 'That's definitely not a dog, that's a coyote," said McMurray.
Their home is near a creek full of overgrown shrubs, where he believes wild animals live. The husband and father said that although the coyotes haven't bothered their family, he worries about his kids playing outside.
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“This is a walking trail as well, and people walking through it at night or at any time a coyote pops out. You know who knows what the situation would look like," said McMurray. “At the end of the day, coyotes are wild animals, and so that is that natural human instinct kicks in, so we just want to make sure everybody is safe in the area and take precautions.”
Neighbor Abel Garcia has lived in the neighborhood for more than two decades and said he has seen the coyotes for years.
"We walk it at night because it's too hot. On our way there or way back, I saw the coyotes. They pass by," said Garcia, who said he grew up in the country and was used to seeing wildlife.
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Another neighbor, Manuel Garcia, said he hasn't seen a coyote but is aware of them.
"We used to see one regularly through the green space here, but she was fed by neighbors. They called her Wylie," he said. "She looked like a puppy and cute, but she definitely was a coyote. You feed them and they’re going to keep coming back.”
Earlier this month, the City of Irving Animal Services posted tips online on dealing with wildlife co-living in the same area. To reduce encounters and conflict, the city suggested people never intentionally feed wildlife, keep trash containers tightly sealed, feed pets indoors, and hang bird feeders out of reach of other animals.
"It is very concerning and alarming to me that the coyotes are running around freely. They are wild animals, and this is their natural habitat; I get that, but the city of Irving, what are we doing to prevent anybody from getting hurt?" McMurray asked.
In a post on X, the city said Irving Animal Services will not trap or relocate coyotes unless they pose a health or safety risk. The city offers tips on its website to help deter wildlife.
