SEATTLE -- Residents in the city's West Seattle neighborhood are on the lookout for a possible pack of coyotes after area pets began disappearing.

Posted signs near Lincoln Park warn residents about one coyote who snatched a small dog from a backyard. The owners were just a few feet away on the patio.

The warning, as well as news of coyote sightings, have dog owners keeping their little ones on a tight leash.

"We looked outside. There was a baby raccoon and all of a sudden, a coyote came out grabbed it, killed it, and took it in the woods," said dog owner Lori Braseth.

Lianna Wingfield says she has seen as many as four coyotes lying out in her yard at the same time.

"It's a scary thing when you want to let your pets or your children outside and you are fearful of that," she said.

Animal Control officers say new houses on the hill have coyotes on the move, looking for new places to hunt.

The park is a prime spot with lots of brush and cover. Even a big yard or a green belt closer to the city will do. Coyotes generally are not a threat to children, but small pets are a prime target.

"I think we've taken away their space, and now we need to share it with them," Braseth said. "So we need to be the ones who are cautious. I don't see them doing a lot of harm other than pets. And I think people need to be responsible pet owners."

Animal Control officers say it can't handle a coyote problem since the animals are protected by the state. If necessary, the homeowner must pay for a professional trapper and, in the end, the animal is usually put down.