SURFSIDE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Surfside Beach residents say wild coyotes are terrorizing their neighborhood between Fourth and Fifth Avenue South.
The residents say the wild animals are killing neighborhood cats and approaching people in broad daylight.
One of the residents, who wished to remain anonymous said for the last four months at least six coyotes have been killing neighborhood pets and approaching residents, showing no fear of human beings.
On Tuesday, the concerned neighbor took action. She got 22 signatures from people in her neighborhood and took it to a Surfside Beach Town Council meeting. She said, she wants someone to step in and get rid of the wild animals that are causing her to be afraid to go outside.
"We have changed our lifestyle. We're fearful in our very own neighborhood. Whether it comes down to us or our pets, they are a part of our family. So we're going to go there and we have several other people from the next couple blocks from our community that are going to show up as well. With our list, with our evidence and with our stories to tell, because we need something done.," the concerned neighbor said.
Other residents have found the dismembered bodies of cats and ducks in and around Fifth Avenue South.
"I think they should be taken out of that area. We've lost, I don't know how many, numerous cats here. I'm sure that's where they went. And I don't know, they're hungry, they have to be. So, I don't know. They should be taken out," Gary Rosenquist said.
"It's time to play hardball," she said. This neighbor took a bag of what she said were parts of dead cat bodies that the coyotes killed. "We need the county to hire a hunter to track these things down and kill them," she said.
Surfside Beach Mayor Doug Samples said Town Council is aware there is an animal that looks like a coyote in the area, but he is unsure whether it's definitely a coyote. Regardless, he said council is working on taking steps to capture and remove the problem.
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