You may be seeing posts on social media right now claiming that coyotes are more active this time of year, and that you need to be extra cautious.

One state department says don’t be fooled, because those posts aren’t entirely true.

The social media posts might be making claims that January is coyote mating season, or that they’re more active this time of year, but the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ALDCNR) says they’re not accurate, and that you should practice the same level of safety year round with these animals.

ALDCNR says in Alabama, coyote mating season typically runs from February to March.

Even then, the department says coyotes are no more of a concern during their breeding season versus any other time of the year.

Your concerns should be steady all year. ALDCNR say its important to make sure you’re not attracting coyotes to your neighborhood by leaving out trash or pet food. The department says even small pets themselves should never be left outside alone.

“One of the main attractants of coyotes in outdoor neighborhoods is outdoor cats, and so if you care about your cat and if you care about wildlife, keeping it inside is essential. Coyotes can be attracted by outdoor cats and they can and will attack and eat your outdoor cats,” says Marianne Gauldin, who serves as the Conservation Outreach Coordinator for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Gauldin says if you’re taking all the right steps, but a coyote is still posing a safety concern, you can contact wildlife animal control.