Coyotes are generally wary of people and serious attacks on humans are rare, but they can be dangerous to small pets and occasionally to children, especially when they become used to humans and human food.

How dangerous to people?

Most people will never be bitten by a coyote, even if they live where coyotes are common.

Documented attacks on humans in the U.S. and Canada number in the low hundreds over many decades, with only a very small number of fatal cases reported.

  • A review found 142 reported coyote attacks on humans involving 159 victims in the U.S. and Canada over many years.
  • Extreme, unprovoked predatory attacks (like the 2009 fatal attack on an adult hiker in Canada) appear to be very rare and linked to unusual conditions, such as scarce natural prey.

When coyotes become risky

Coyotes are most likely to be dangerous when they lose their natural fear of people or are defending food, territory, or pups.

  • Habituation (getting used to people), often from intentional or accidental feeding, is a big factor in aggressive behavior like chasing joggers or approaching children.
  • Urban coyotes that regularly scavenge garbage or get handouts are more likely to test boundaries and may act bolder around people and pets.

Risk to pets

For small pets, coyotes can be a serious threat, especially in suburban and urban edges where both overlap.

  • Small dogs and outdoor cats are vulnerable to being chased or taken, particularly at dawn, dusk, and night.
  • Larger dogs can be harassed or injured if they approach a coyote’s den, pups, or a food source.

How to stay safe

Simple behavior changes greatly reduce the already low risk to people and help protect pets.

  • Never feed coyotes and secure trash, pet food, and fallen fruit so they are not rewarded for hanging around.
  • If a coyote approaches, stand tall, wave your arms, shout, and throw small objects toward (not at the head) to “haze” it and re‑teach wariness; do not run.
  • Keep dogs leashed, supervise small pets outside, and avoid areas where coyotes are known to den in spring.

Why they’re in the news

As coyotes expand into more cities and suburbs, sightings and viral stories make them feel more dangerous than the statistics suggest.

Researchers and wildlife managers increasingly focus on coexistence strategies: keeping coyotes wild and wary while teaching people how to reduce conflicts, rather than trying broad eradication.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.