ORLANDO, Fla. — Residents in Orlando’s Rowena Park neighborhood are calling for action, after a seven-pound chihuahua was attacked by coyotes Friday.
According to neighbors, the animals are roaming city streets and appearing increasingly comfortable around humans.
Residents told Channel 9, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission visited the community over the weekend after the attack on the dog and a separate report of a pet cat allegedly being killed.
A biologist was sent to assess the situation in the neighborhood, which is located near the Mills 50 area.
Ann Shaw, a resident of the Rowena Park neighborhood, was at home when her 3-year-old Chihuahua, Ben, was targeted last week.
The seven-pound dog had been in a fenced portion of the yard when it spotted the coyotes and slipped underneath the barrier. “Next thing I knew I heard him screaming so he had somehow slipped under the fence and gone down to the lake and they met him there,” Shaw said.
Shaw said she rushed to the lakefront and began shouting to scare the predators away. “I was screaming, help, help. You know, I was at the top of my lungs just screaming help. And luckily they dropped him,” Shaw said.
She expressed relief that she was able to intervene in time, stating, “I’m just happy I still have him.”
Shaw told Channel 9 she immediately took Ben to an animal clinic where he was prescribed medication and is recovering from his wounds.
Neighbors shared video of a coyote walking down a residential street just hours before Ben was attacked and residents reported that a pet cat was killed by coyotes in the area recently.
“We’re concerned about our animals and our children,” said Lora Hendrick who has lived in the community for five years.
“ I think our pets should be top priority over the wild animals, and I don’t see that happening,” Shaw said.
FWC’s website advises neighbors to report coyotes who behave unusually or have lost their fear of humans.
According to the agency’s website: “Coyotes can and do prey on domestic cats and small dogs. Most coyote attacks on pets occur either at night or in the early evening or morning hours (dusk and dawn). To protect your pets, do not allow them to roam freely. Keep cats indoors. Free-roaming cats are at a high risk of being preyed on by coyotes and other animals. Walk small dogs on a short leash that is less than six feet, especially at night, dusk or dawn. Be extra careful if you are going to walk your pet in wooded areas or areas that have heavy foliage, where coyotes may rest.”
Neighbors told Channel 9 FWC also advised the community to not leave pet food near their homes.
According to the agency, using deterrents such as motion-activated sprinklers or audible alarms can help haze and scare away coyotes and other wildlife from your property and encourage them to leave the area. You can learn more here.
Channel 9 reached out to both FWC and the City of Orlando for comment on this story, but did not hear back before news time.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
