Sandy Springs battles coyote problems

By Associated Press

For the AJC

Officials in Sandy Springs are trying to figure out how to control coyotes amid fears that pets are in danger of being attacked.

City Councilman Chip Collins told  Channel 2 Action News that he's received dozens of emails from constituents with concerns about coyotes. He said he wants to hear what his colleagues think about the possibility of hiring a trapper.

The Huntcliff Homeowner's Association in Sandy Springs recently hired a trapper to deal with coyotes in that neighborhood, and resident Kevin Whitson said the effort has been successful. A similar effort at the nearby Atlanta Country Club in east Cobb removed seven coyotes from the area.

Whitson says his cat Bella was nearly devoured by a coyote. The coyote had pinned Bella to the ground, injuring the cat before his wife scared the animal off.