SAINT CLAIR SHORES, Mich. -- Several local police agencies have adopted new policies when it comes to coyotes.

Saint Clair Shores police said they will treat coyotes as they do all dangerous animals if they are spotted – they will shoot them on the spot.

Officers have clearance to shoot the animal if it is in an area that is safe to shoot.

"If they can safely and humanly destroy the animal they will do so," said St. Clair Shores Police Chief Charles Burnett.

St. Clair Shores resident Susie Craft told Local 4 that she has spotted several coyotes and one even followed her daughter as she jogged outside.

However, Craft said she isn't keen on the idea of killing the coyotes.

"I would prefer they not kill it, but I think it's good they are being watched, and if they could just take it back where it belongs," said Craft.

Saint Clair Shores is not the only community taking measures to protect against coyotes.

Last week, Eastpointe police sent out a warning to residents.

Police said there have been reports of at least one coyote sighting in that city and one cat that was found dead, half-eaten.

Police are also warning residents not to leave food outside, particularly those in the areas of 10 Mile to Stephens Roads and Kelly Road to I-94.

Coyotes also have been spotted in other Metro Detroit communities, including Bloomfield Hills, Troy and the Grosse Pointes.

A dog was killed in Grosse Pointe in January.

Alger LaHood said he let his 10-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dickens, out just after 5 a.m.

“Eight minutes, 10 minutes later, I realized he didn’t come back to the door. I went to the door, called him. He didn’t respond and I said, ‘Maybe he left the yard,'” LaHood said.

LaHood said he thought the dog had broken through the yard’s invisible fence.

“But then I looked over to the south and I saw what looked like a very skinny German shepherd-sized animal,” LaHood said. “I realized later it was a coyote.”

LaHood said he found his dog lying in the road, having been bitten in the throat and apparently dragged a short distance.

The dog was taken to an animal hospital in Harper Woods and then another one in Pontiac.

The dog died just hours after he was attacked.

The DNR said coyotes are in every county in Michigan, and there are even some in urban areas.

LaHood said he’d seen earlier reports of coyotes in the area, but he said he had heard experts say coyotes would attack only pets less than 15 pounds. He said his dog weighed 30.

"I'm fearful that there's going to be a real problem to another family," LaHood said. "Ours was a tragedy, and I would hate to have another family have an even worse tragedy than ours."