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SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
One Valley. One Voice.
DO NOT FEED OR ATTEMPT TO DOMESTICATE COYOTES
Coyotes are wild animals and to ensure they are kept wild, it is imperative we do not nurture them. Note: It is ILLEGAL in the County of Los Angeles to feed coyotes and other wildlife in urban and suburban areas.
REMOVE ATTRACTANTS
Food, water, and shelter are an oasis for coyote activity. Attractants can be described as but are not limited to pet food, unsecured compost or trash, fallen fruit from trees in private yards or in parks, artificial lakes, swimming pools, pet water dishes, sheds, decks, crawl spaces, sumps, unattended pets, and feral cats.
SUPERVISE PETS AND SMALL CHILDREN
Coyotes natural diets consist of small mammals, so it is imperative to accompany any being that may be similar in size and make-up. Keep pets and small children in close proximity in densely coyote populated areas as the coyote may not attribute your loved one as belonging to you. Keep pet close by using leashes that are less than 6ft long.
KEEP COYOTES WARY
If a coyote approaches you or comes in your yard......be as big, mean and loud as you can. If you are walking with a small child or animal, pick them up and remove yourself, the child and the animal from the situation slowly and carefully while maintaining eye contact. If you are in immediate danger or have been attacked call 911 immediately!
Hazing is a method of scaring a coyote away from you, your yard, or your neighborhood. Coyotes are members of the dog family, and just as we train our dogs to adopt good behavior, we can reinforce a coyote’s natural instinct to avoid people without harming them.
There are various tools to assist in hazing coyotes. Hazing is subject to but not limited to:
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Making loud noises
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Throwing rocks in the animal’s direction
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Spraying it with a hose
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Rapidly open an umbrella in its direction
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Use of an air-horn
Coyote Hazing Tools
Coyote Shaker
Place a handful of pennies in an old juice or soda can. Cover the opening of the can with tape. Cut a piece of foil and tape it around the can. The shaker scares the approaching coyote through aggressive hand motion, loud noise and reflective light.
Can Clanger
Tie several empty tin cans together with string. Clanging the cans together and throwing it at the coyote should deter the coyote from coming into inhabited areas.
Coyote Rollers
Coyote rollers have been effective in some situations. Installing these rolling metal tubes at the top of a fence denies coyotes the “foothold” to pull themselves up and over a fence, deterring them from repeating the effort.
DO NOT haze if:
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You think the coyote is sick or injured. Call your local animal control for sick or immobile coyotes.
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It’s March − July, and you are in a park or open space and believe you could be near a coyote den, or if you think that coyote pups could be present. Keep pets close by and calmly leave the area. Note: A coyote(s) may follow briefly or “escort” to determine if there is a threat to pups. After a certain distance, they will stop on their own.
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The coyote is at a comfortable distance from you.
Find more detailed information on Coyote Hazing here.
Coyotes are wild animals and play a vital role in the ecosystem. Think of them as nature's pest control. Coyotes natural diets consist of small mammals and they eat large numbers of rodents and rabbits, Coyotes also eat fruit, vegetation, insects, and carrion. They help keep ecosystems vital, healthy and clean. Coyotes are naturally fearful of humans but can habituate to our presence and the reliable food sources that we provide.
What are attractants? Attractants are resources that may lure or encourage coyotes to come to particular areas. Attractants may include but are not limited to:
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Pet food
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Unsecured compost or trash fallen fruit from trees
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Artificial lakes
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Swimming pools
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Pet water dishes
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Unsecured sheds
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Decks
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Crawl spaces
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Sumps
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Unattended pets
Elimination Recommendations:
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Keep pet food and water dishes inside the home or in a secure area; Feed pets in a secure area
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All trash should be contained in trash containers and stored indoors with secure lids. Trash should not be placed on the curb until the morning of pickup. Encourage your community to utilize wildlife-proof trash containers on school grounds, in parks, and in open space areas
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Cover artificial lakes and pools securely
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Seal-up openings under porches, decks, and sheds with a welded wire that is buried at least 18 inches below the ground
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Trim vegetation and mow tall grass; remove or thin brush and rubbage piles so as to eliminate cover for coyotes and their prey.
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Feral cats
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Bird feeders
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Rodent attractants
APPROPRIATE COYOTE BEHAVIORS
Some of the behaviors of coyotes may seem shocking or even confusing to us. Find normal coyote behaviors below:
Active in the daytime and nighttime
Most active at dusk and dawn
Watching you and your dog in plain view or from a camouflaged position (like dogs, coyotes are curious)
Sitting on a hill in plain view
Relaxing or playing in a field or other grassy area
Walking and not paying attention to you
Following you and your dog with curiosity from a comfortable distance
Hunting gophers in fields and meadows
“Escorting” your dog away from den/territory, food or pups during pup rearing season (spring & summer)
Bluff charging your dog in an attempt to move your dog away from pups, during pup rearing season (spring & summer)
Standing his or her ground unfazed by your attempts to scare him/her away, during pup rearing season (spring & summer)
Waiting at stoplights to cross busy streets
Dashing across a trail
More than one coyote relaxing together or greeting each other
Hearing coyotes howling and yipping (they are greeting, communicating and defining territories)
When hazed, trots away, then stops and looks back (keep hazing until the coyote leaves)
COYOTE 101
NEIGHBORHOOD COYOTE PROGRAM
Coyotes are wild animals and play a vital role in the ecosystem. Think of them as nature's pest control. However, coyotes have become more prevalent in the beautiful neighborhoods of the San Gabriel Valley, and it is our responsibility to manage our urban environments to limit and control our interactions with coyotes. Here are a few helpful tips to ensure you are coexisting with our wild friends in your neighborhood.