Concerned for the well being of our pets, fellow homeowner, Denise Jerome, brought to our attention the following:

I recently found 2 dead rats in my backyard within a week’s span.  I fear that someone is baiting them with rat poison.  If our cats and dogs eat the poisoned rats, it can make them very sick and may even be fatal. It is probably a good idea to check your yard first before letting your dogs out.

There are additional risks letting dogs out at night unattended. Our neighborhood is known to have raccoons, opossums and skunks that enter our yards. My sister’s dog was attacked by a raccoon and needed stitches. Large birds of prey have been known to snatch kittens. Coyotes commonly roam the area especially around Bannon Slough and prey on cats.  I have not heard of any coyotes jumping the fences but I wouldn’t be surprised.