Redwood Village

Coexisting with Coyotes

Sep 06, 2005

Recently I was surprised to see a coyote in my back yard drinking from my garden fountain. This isn't the first time I've seen them in the neighborhood. The large sections of undeveloped hillside in our area support a wide cross-section of wildlife. With just a few common sense precautions, residents can peacefully coexist with the coyotes in our area.
?• Do not feed coyotes or any other wild animal. Providing food makes them dependent and they can lose their natural fear of humans. People who provide them with food run the risk of being bitten.
?• Keep pet food out of their reach and secure garbage cans. Coyotes are opportunistic and will make a meal of pet food or table scraps that are left in unsecured containers. If a dog or cat is fed outside, bring uneaten food inside as soon as the pet has finished eating. Place trash in a secure container so that it is unavailable to coyotes.
?• Abide by leash laws and avoid letting dogs and cats roam freely. Coyotes kill and eat small dogs and house cats.
Submitted by Gary Onstad