ROANOKE, Va. –
For Sarah Martin, coyotes are becoming unwelcome guests near her home in southwest Roanoke.
“I don't see them, but I hear them at night,” Martin said.
As leaves begin to drop, more coyotes are coming to town with the intent to stay.
“This is because they love pastures and thick brush. That's where they typically like to stay,” said Sabrina Garvin, executive director at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke.
This is the time when packs of coyotes are looking for new territory.
“So they may be coming in this area and stay until they don't do well enough, and then they move on,” Garvin said.
Meanwhile, Garvin says not to let their good looks deceive you.
“These are wild animals. They are very smart. They can carry rabies and then they can just bite you,” Garvin said.
As harmless as they may appear, these are not animals to take lightly.
“Have your trash cans contained, and don’t leave food outside, as well as pets,” Garvin said.
As coyotes continue to move east, Garvin says they're not expected to go away anytime soon.