Coyote Alert!

Living safely with the Wildlife that shares our City

Coyotes are wild animals and can pose a risk to people and pets. The goal of Los Angeles Animal Services is to educate the public fostering a relationship of mutual respect between wildlife and the community so we can live together safely. 

Here are a few guidelines for how to have a safe community for you and for the coyotes:

• Do not approach or feed wild animals, including coyotes. It is unsafe and a violation of the law.
• Never leave small children and pets unattended outdoors even if your yard is fenced.
• Remove pet food dishes when your pet has finished eating and do not leave food outside. Pick ripe fruit and clean rotten produce off the ground.
• Walk your dog on a leash at all times, not only is it the law, but it will keep your pet safe. Do not allow your dog to interact or “play” with a coyote.
• When you are walking your dog in areas known to have coyotes, you can carry a loud whistle of even an umbrella that you can open and close rapidly to scare them away. Unlike the approach with an aggressive dog, you can raise your arms above your head and stomp your feet while shouting at the coyote to scare them away.
• Put all trash bags inside trashcans and keep all outdoor trashcan lids securely fastened on the containers. Ammonia or pepper sprinkled in the trash may also discourage a scavenging coyote.
• Keep your property well lit at night especially when you go out with your dog for the last potty break before bed.
• Trim hedges from the bottom and keep brush cleared to limit hiding places for coyotes.
• Close off crawl spaces under porches, decks and sheds. Coyotes use such areas for resting and raising young.
• Share this information with your neighbors to keep your neighborhood safe. If you belong to a neighborhood association, call Los Angeles Animal Services to schedule an educational presentation for your next meeting.

If you have coyotes near your home, please call (888) 452-7381 for non-lethal assistance.

The Los Angeles Animal Services Department has a Wildlife Expert and several very knowledgeable speakers.You can arrange for them to attend Neighborhood Council or other neighborhood meetings to talk about wildlife and to answer questions about wildlife.

For more information, visit our website: http://www.laanimalservices.com/aboutani_wildlife.htm