Inverness man wants to build a fence to block coyotes following attack

It may finally be nice outside, but Derrick Czapla says his 2-year-old daughter won’t be playing on the backyard playground anytime soon.

The Inverness man fears for his toddler after coyotes last week attacked his two miniature Doberman pinschers, Kayle and Killer, as she played nearby with her nanny. Twelve-pound Killer, who was dragged into the woods, didn’t survive.

“My nanny said two coyotes were running toward them when the dogs intervened,” Czapla said. “I’m afraid what could have happened.”

To protect his daughter and another baby on the way, Czapla, who lives on the 1500 block of Palatine Road near Roselle Road, wants to build a fence — a structure that would be unprecedented in Inverness.

Village ordinance prohibits them along residential lot lines as part of Inverness’ open space plan, a ban Village President Jack Tatooles said has been in place ever since Inverness became incorporated in 1962.

“We believe in being a pastoral open land community,” Tatooles said. “People like the country setting.”

But with his 2.5-acre property surrounded by woods and hidden from other homes, Czapla believes his situation is unique and deserves consideration.

“I really don’t even have neighbors,” Czapla said. “I could put up a fence and no one would even know.”

He’s been consulting an attorney and getting estimates for fences, which could cost up to $10,000. He’s planning on filing for a variance with the village in hopes the board of trustees will grant an exception.

“Everyone I talked to at the village has basically said it’ll never happen,” Czapla said of his chances of winning the exemption.

Coyote attacks are occurring more frequently in the suburbs as development causes wildlife to adapt to subdivision life.

Coyotes become more aggressive in late winter and early spring due to mating season. Campton Hills recently sent out email alerts warning of coyote attacks in the area while there were two reported attacks in Wheaton within the last eight months.

Czapla said he knows two people in Kildeer whose dogs were killed by coyotes.

Czapla could hire a wildlife trapper or request to get the fence around his swimming pool expanded, Tatooles said. But he said while he’s sympathetic, he believes coyotes are a reality in Inverness.

“I see coyotes all the time,” he said. “It’s the country.”

Staff writer Lee Filas contributed to this report.