SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (AP) - City officials in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs are trying to figure out how to control coyotes amid fears that their pets are in danger of being attacked.

Councilman Chip Collins tells WSB-TV (http://bit.ly/yMTUAE) that he's received dozens of emails from constituents with concerns about coyotes. He said he wants to hear what his colleagues think about the possibility of hiring a trapper.

The Huntcliff Homeowner's Association in Sandy Springs recently hired a trapper to deal with coyotes in that neighborhood, and resident Kevin Whitson said the effort has been successful.

Whitson says his cat Bella was nearly devoured by a coyote. The coyote had pinned Bella to the ground, injuring the cat before his wife scared the animal off.