Coyote Attacks: Protect Your Pets and YourselfCoyote Attacks: Protect Your Pets and Yourself In light of recent coyote attacks, wildlife officials emphasize the importance of taking precautions to protect pets and residents. Prevention: * Keep pets indoors or on a leash when walking. * Eliminate access to food and water sources that may attract coyotes. Temporary Park Closures: Due to coyote presence, several San Francisco parks, including Saint Mary’s Rec Center Field and Presidio’s Mountain Lake Park dog park, are temporarily closed. Precautions: * Avoid hiking at dawn, dusk, or night, when coyotes are more active. * If you encounter a coyote, try to scare it away by waving your arms, making noise, and appearing intimidating. * Always provide an escape route for the coyote. Pleasanton Incidents: In Pleasanton, reports of cats killed by coyotes have prompted police to advise residents to keep pets indoors. California Department of Fish and Wildlife: According to Krysten Kellum, spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, coyotes may still be raising young in August, contributing to increased activity. She advises avoiding dens and hiking in isolated areas during active times. If Encountered: * If a coyote makes contact, contact animal control or 911 immediately. Remember, coyotes are our neighbors, and coexistence is essential. Taking precautions and reporting encounters can help protect our pets and community.
PLEASANTON, Calif. (KGO) — When it comes to coyotes and pets, wildlife officials say it’s just not worth the risk.
“Bring pets inside, keep them on a leash when walking and eliminate access to anything that might attract a coyote,” said Krysten Kellum, spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Due to the presence of coyotes, parks in San Francisco are temporarily closed, including Saint Mary’s Rec Center Field and Presidio’s Mountain Lake Park dog park.
VIDEO: Family of 5 coyotes, including 3 cubs, spotted playing on baseball field in San Francisco
ABC7 News captured a family outing on video, where five coyotes were playing together on the baseball field in Bernal Heights, San Francisco. We watched a video in front of our camera.
The news comes less than three weeks after a 5-year-old girl was attacked by a coyote in the city’s Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park.
In the East Bay, Pleasanton police are advising people to keep their pets indoors after receiving multiple reports of cats dying from coyote attacks.
“Coyotes can still be digging dens and raising young in August, so that could be a factor,” Kellum said. “You might want to avoid hiking at dawn, dusk or at night. Those are the times when coyotes are more active.”
There have recently been reports on social media of coyotes in the Pleasanton Valley neighborhood and even on Main Street in downtown Pleasanton.
Pleasanton police did not provide further comment, but the department’s advisory states, “Wild animals, including coyotes, are our neighbors and it is important that we learn to coexist with them.”
MORE: 3 Coyotes Shot After 5-Year-Old Was Attacked at SF Botanical Garden
Three coyotes were shot and killed last weekend in the Botanical Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park after a five-year-old girl was attacked.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, you should take action if you encounter a coyote.
“Try to scare the coyote away, wave your arms, make noise, be a big, angry, loud man, we say,” she said. “Don’t let the coyote feel trapped, you always have to have an escape route.”
If the coyote makes contact with you or one of your pets, you are asked to call animal control or 911 immediately.
Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.
