There have been recent sightings of coyotes reported in Tempe neighborhoods. The following information is provided to you (taken from AZ Game and Fish website) as helpful tips should you encounter a coyote. 

Coyotes are common in rural and urban areas throughout Arizona. Coyotes tend to travel and hunt alone or in pairs, but they can form groups where food is abundant. 

What Attracts Them? 

Coyotes may visit a home if they find food, water or shelter there. Food can include unattended pets, birds or rodents attracted to bird feeders, pet food, garbage, or fallen fruit. Water sources can include a pet’s water bowl or a swimming pool. Shelter can include a storm drain or any cave-like area beneath a shed or unused building. 

To discourage a coyote from getting closer, immediately: 

•  Make loud noises. 
• Wave your hands or objects like sticks & brooms. 
• Throw small stones or cans. 
• Spray the coyote with a hose.
• Only if necessary, use a commercial repellent like Mace, on bold animals that refuse to leave. 

To prevent further problems: 

• Remove outside attractions for coyotes and other critters – garbage, pet food, water sources and bird feeders. 
• Never feed coyotes.
• Feed your pets inside, and never leave them unattended, especially at dusk and dawn when coyotes are most active.
• Keep poultry, rabbits, and rodents in secure enclosures.
• Trim and remove any ground-level shrubs and branches that provide hiding places or den sites for coyotes or their prey.
• Secure garbage containers and eliminate odors by cleaning trashcans with a 10 percent chlorine bleach solution.
  
  For more information, call the AZ Game and Fish Department at 480-981-9400. After hours and weekends, a radio dispatcher is available at (623) 236-7201. or visit their website.