The Pet Sit Blog

How to Protect Yourself and Your Pet from Coyotes

September 15, 2009

Posted in: Uncategorized

Coyotes were recently found to be one of the wild animals that most frequently attacked and injured pets.  Los Angeles Animal Services advises pet owners to follow these suggestions to help keep pets safe:

• Keep pets indoors or secured in an outdoor kennel.
  
• Walk dogs on a leash at all times. If your yard does not have a fence, use a leash while on your property to keep your pet close to you.
  
• Carry something, such as an air horn, whistle, walking stick or cane for protection while walking your dog.
  
• Try not to establish a regular routine and route to avoid setting up a pattern for a coyote to detect. If you notice a coyote when walking your dog, keep your dog as close to you as possible and move towards an active area.
  
• Never encourage or allow your dog to interact or “play” with coyotes.
  
• Confine small animals and birds that you cannot keep indoors to covered enclosures constructed of a heavy gauge wire mesh. Coyotes can break through chicken wire.
  
• Put all trash bags inside the trash cans and keep all outdoor trash can lids securely fastened to the containers. Place trash bins inside sheds, garages or other enclosed structures. 
  
• Pick fruit from trees as soon as it ripens and pick up all fallen fruit. Cut low hanging branches to avoid the coyote feeding from trees. Trim ground-level shrubbery.
  
• Vegetable gardens should be protected with heavy duty garden fences or enclosed by a greenhouse.
  
• Keep your property well lit at night.
  
• Close off crawl spaces under porches, decks and sheds. Coyotes use such areas for resting and raising young.

If you are approached by a coyote, Los Angeles Animal Services advises you to wave your arms and shout in a low, loud tone. Throw objects at the coyote while maintaining eye contact. Make yourself look as big as possible; if you are wearing a jacket open it up like a cape. If possible go towards active or populated areas, but do not turn your back on the coyote while doing so.