Wildlife experts are telling Lake Oswego residents to make noise, stand tall and scare off bold coyotes after the Portland Urban Coyote Project's tracking dashboard logged 25 coyote sightings in the city so far in 2026.
The guidance comes two months after resident Donald Palmer's 11-pound shih tzu, Dexter, was grabbed by a coyote on Peters Road near Westlake Park. Palmer, who as we reported July 27 also learned of three other attacks on leashed pets this summer, said the animal approached from behind on June 28 before he could react.
"The coyote came from behind us. I never saw him until he grabbed our dog and tried to take off with him," Palmer told the Lake Oswego Review.
Now two experts are offering Clackamas County residents specific steps to stay safe.
What 'hazing' means
Liz Weinberg, assistant director of the Portland Urban Coyote Project, said the single best response to a bold coyote is the deterrence technique called "hazing." The technique is simple. Make loud noise, wave your arms and keep it up until the animal leaves the area entirely. If a coyote does not retreat from noise, Weinberg said, pick up small pets immediately.
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife biologist Peter Iacono said the most common call he gets from Clackamas County residents is simply asking what to do when they spot a coyote. Most callers, he said, don't realize the animals are a normal part of the metro landscape.
Why coyotes are here
Urban coyotes typically weigh about 30 pounds and are present in virtually every major U.S. metro area, according to Iacono. In urban settings they are most active at night, but daytime sightings can signal denning season in spring and early summer, when parents hunt more hours to feed pups, or habituation to humans.
Weinberg said habituation often starts with unintentional feeding: food left out for feral cats, bird seed knocked to the ground or fruit-bearing trees in yards. Oregon law (ORS 496.731) prohibits placing food or attractants that lure coyotes, and violators can be ordered to remove the attractant within two days.
How to protect pets and report sightings
The Portland Urban Coyote Project lists three core coexistence rules:
- Never feed coyotes and remove potential food sources.
- Keep pets indoors, on short leashes and supervised when outside.
- Scare off bold coyotes by making noise until they leave.
After Dexter's attack, Palmer's veterinarian recommended contacting Clackamas County Animal Control, which is headquartered in Oregon City.
Residents who spot a coyote anywhere in Clackamas County can log it on the Portland Urban Coyote Project's sightings dashboard at portlandstate.qualtrics.com. With 25 sightings already recorded in Lake Oswego this year, the project is asking neighbors to keep reporting so researchers can track where the animals are most active.
