Watch a Young Coyote Roam Around an Edina Office Park

Coyotes are a major nuisance in Edina, killing cats and other small animals, rooting through garbage containers and spreading disease among pets.

But, as a video posted to YouTube Tuesday goes to show, their young can still be deceptively adorable. 

The video (viewable above) shows a young coyote padding tentatively around an Edina office park in September 2010.

Mating season for coyotes runs through March, and the Edina Police Department has encouraged residents to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of family pets this time of year.

"The most important things residents can do to keep their pets safe it to supervise time spent outdoors," Animal Control Officer Tim Hunter told Patch in 2013. "And if residents ever happen to see a coyote, they should do whatever they can to scare them away."

Hazing involves moving the targeted animals out of an area or discouraging undesirable behavior. To successfully haze coyotes, residents are instructed to make as much noise as possible and throw small projectiles—sticks, cans, tennis balls or small rocks—at coyotes. It the animal doesn't immediately leave the area, residents are encouraged to chase it away.

Hunter said hazing has been successful in decreasing the coyote presence in other metropolitan areas and should help lower the number of coyote-related incidents in Edina.