Many of us have “coyote tales” of seeing one late at night, or hearing a distant howling in the dam areas or bridle trails. But for some attendees of the recent “Coyote Town Hall”, the encounters were not so benign- resulting in dead pets or chickens.

One attendee said, “I saw my dog get taken in my backyard while I was there. They were fast.”

Another had lost chickens while he was close by.

OC Animal Control officer Kevin Frager led this “Town Hall” to give advice on dealing with problem coyotes and what to do if residents need help. Officer Frager said he expected more coyote activity in March through mid-August because the pups are weaning and need more food. Coyotes can lose their natural fear of people. For example, years ago, Frager got reports from the Cal State Fullerton area that coyotes were overrunning them.

On investigation, Frager and his team found a coyote still inside a trash container. Frager’s team got the residents to clean up the trash situation, and soon, OC Animal Control started getting far fewer complaints.

“If they see a pizza, of course, they will go after that,” Frager said.

Frager said that the biggest coyote deterrent is community participation. He encouraged people to spread the word to keep trash sealed and inaccessible. Open water sources can be an attraction. Fallen fruit and pet food left out at night attract rats, which in turn attract coyotes.

If you feed feral cats, you are inviting coyotes in. And yes, he has heard that there are wildlife lovers who intentionally feed coyotes. It’s said that “a fed coyote is a dead coyote” because it gets them acclimated to people, which can lead to aggressive behavior and a bad ending for the coyote.

If you see a coyote hanging around, Frager recommends hazing it. Throwing rocks or flashing lights work, but the best deterrent is loud noise. He prefers an air horn, which he will use late at night. Banging a pot works. If the coyotes retreat some distance and look at you, he encourages chasing them until they are out of sight. Frager says don’t use firearms for hazing, not even BB or pellet guns, “because you might hit something else.”

A meeting attendee mentioned that Fontana trapper Lowell Miller got sentenced to 120 days for felony animal cruelty for shooting a coyote caught in a trap repeatedly in the face.

Frager also stressed the importance of keeping pets on leashes when walking. Coyotes can jump over fences. If you have chickens or are concerned about a small pet, Frager recommended fences that are over five feet high with “coyote rollers” installed on the top and are not easy to dig under. If your dog sleeps outside, an enclosed dog run will provide protection. Motion-activated sprinklers or lights may help, too. Coyote incidents can be reported at http://ucanr.edu/sites/coyoteCacher/

Residents are encouraged to call OC Animal Control at 714-935-6848 or 714-259-1122 if:

• A human or a pet has been attacked or bitten.
• If a coyote seems sick or injured.
• If a coyote has lost its fear of humans and does not respond to PROPER hazing techniques.

For more info, search “coyote information” at http://www.cityoffullerton.com

At the April 2nd City Council meeting the council will vote on a “Wildlife Action Plan” draft which will be available online.