The Sylmar Neighborhood Council recently distributed information to residents following reports of increased coyote sightings during daylight hours.
There has been concern that the animals appear unafraid of humans and are roaming close to homes.
California coyotes breed in January, February and March. Gestation takes about two months, so pups are born in March through May. Both the breeding and birthing natural cycles can cause changes in behavior.
If you encounter a coyote with your pet, do not run away or turn your back to it. Calmly back away instead. You can also try to scare it away by making loud noises and acting aggressively.
Refrain from letting pets run free. If they are outside, keep them on a leash and have a close eye on them. This also goes for when walking the dog. Otherwise, keep pets indoors, especially at night.
Encounters or attacks on humans by coyotes are occurring more often as “our” land and “their” land grow and lessen.
• The best way to avoid conflicts with coyotes:
• Do not feed them (or any other wildlife for that matter).
• Remove bird feeders from your yards – as when seeds fall to the ground, they attract small animals, on which coyotes’ prey.
• Do not feed pets outside, as even scraps or morsels left behind may serve as attractants to wildlife.
• Keep garbage can lids tightly secured and take your trash out on the morning of trash pickup, and not the night beforehand.
• If you see a coyote, do not run from it. Much like when seeing a loose dog, be aware of it, yet calmly walk away and inside if possible.
• Do not let your pets run free and/or unattended.
• If you are out walking your dog, especially after sunset and at night, it is best to refrain from using retractable leashes. If you are too far from your dog, a coyote may only see the dog and not the human that is attached to the dog, given the reach of the retractable leash. Also, if walking after sunset, be extra aware of your surroundings – maybe even keep a flashlight with you, as a deterrent.
For more information, go to https://www.sylmarneighborhoodcouncil.org/page/viewNews/5399.
I thank you for this advice for sure.
Someone suggested carrying a bazooka type horn. The loud noise worked very well as deterrent and scared them away.
A bazooka?? My semi automatic hole maker makes a loud noise and fits in my pocket, and is a real deterrent to all animals usually when I use it. Coyotes are legal to kill 24/7 most areas as they are pests. If you use an semi automatic hole maker, you need to have a ‘hunting ” permit, or license and check local laws.
Thank you for this information. A month ago I got out of my vehicle and there was a animal that wasn’t a dog that appeared out of nowhere. I got my bags out of the car and proceeded into the garage and politely shooed it away. I live in the Inland Empire area and there are desert areas around me. Not sure where the animal went afterwards.