First I must tell you I love wild animals. I would have bear, wolves, cougar, badgers, etc. all around, if it was prudent. It ain't. It would be outrageously unsafe in an urban atmosphere. As much as I like wild animals, they can't roam wild in the city. They must be in a zoo. Now my story.
One of my doctors lives in Rowlett. I visited with him yesterday and I'm still "good to go." However, we're also friends. While in his office he showed me films of one of his two dogs being killed and another being severally wounded and is currently in the hospital just barely hanging on. In the film, I could hear the squeal of the last dog being bitten. It was sad, and cruel. It was broad daylight.
The animals doing the attacking looked to me to be a cross breed of coyote and domestic dog. The heads looked like dog, but the bodies looked very much to me to be coyote. I have seen many coyotes and used to hunt them in Kansas. They are typically night marauders and are shy of humans. Unfortunately, cross breeds are not so shy of humans and will attack easily during the day.
My doctor's two small dogs fell victim to two killers in broad daylight with the human owners taking pictures. Folks, that's brazen and very, very, dangerous to small children that could be around the lake.
I love hearing the coyotes at night. However, not at the expense of losing a child. It is just not worth the risk.
The city must begin to take steps to thin out the coyote population around the lake and take specific aim at identified killers. If killing them is distasteful, they can be trapped and released into more suitable habitat.
These animals are very swift, and can strike in an instant. A small child playing outside wouldn't have a chance.