Coyote Sightings, Attacks Hit Close to Home after Center Friends Lose Pets
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (June 13, 2019) – With warmer weather signaling San Diego summertime outdoor activities, Helen Woodward Animal Center has received more reports of coyote attacks and loss of household pets than ever before. Whether hitting the trails on hikes or simply enjoying personal outdoor spaces, the Center reminds pet owners to stay diligent and practice coyote safety measures.
Over the last week, three close Center friends have reported the tragic loss of their pets to coyote attacks and many more have sited close calls when out on walks with their furry companions. The seeming increase in San Diego coyote encounters may have to do with last year’s fire activity (requiring months of land recovery), along with seasonal drought, heat, and recent housing development, all forcing coyotes to seek food outside their normal locations. Whatever the case, it is important to remember that dogs (especially small ones) and cats are vulnerable to coyote attacks which can happen quickly and while owners are only feet away.
Late last month, Helen Woodward Animal Center veterinarians received a call from a concerned citizen who, with the help of Pet Recovery Specialist Babs Fry, caught a small terrified dog constantly on the run from neighborhood coyotes. (One such incident was caught on video – attached.) A San Diego realtor during the week, Fry’s non-profit, “A Way Home for Animals Inc.,” helps rescue lost and hard-to-catch dogs and cats. Creekside/Brengle Terrace neighbors had communicated their concern through NextDoor and many had tried to lure the pup, nicknamed Roadrunner, to safety. Fry was able to secure Roadrunner who was brought to Helen Woodward Animal Center for a free checkup.
“We were concerned that Roadrunner may have been bitten and would require Rabies shots and months of downtime,” explained Animal Health Supervisor Madison Hughes, “but he was one of the lucky ones who managed to escape without incident.”
Center veterinarians treated Roadrunner for malnourishment, and skin and flea issues and, after he was processed through shelter stray-hold, Fry took him home for full recovery. Fry will oversee his rehoming and will begin interviewing potential adopters next Thursday.
Roadrunner’s story is a happy one, but it is important to remember that coyote attacks are incredibly fast, often happen during the day, and that coyotes are able to leap fences.
Helen Woodward Animal Center asks pet owners to remember the following safety tips to protect your pets.
Tips and Reminders to Keep Your Pets Safe:
- Don’t keep pet food or water outside, especially at night
- Supervise your pets while outdoors, especially smaller dogs
- Pick up fallen fruit from trees in your yard.
- Keep your cat indoors, especially between dusk and dawn
- Thoroughly clean your grill and if possible store it in a garage
- Never leave dogs tied up outside
- Do keep your dog on a leash on walks and hikes in order to keep them in close proximity
- Bring a whistle or bear spray along on hikes and walks
- Six-foot tall fences are most effective in keeping coyotes out. For extra protection “coyote runners,” devices that can be installed on the top perimeter of tall fences and cause a coyote to slip off when trying to hop over are effective.
If you do encounter coyote either in your yard on walks or hikes…
- NEVER run away from a coyote
- Make loud noises, yell, spray a garden hose in their direction or squirt vinegar, bang pots and pans together, throw sticks, cans, rubber balls or other small objects toward (not at) the coyote. (You want to discourage the coyote from coming back so you may have to use a variety of these methods if coyote sightings persist)