City to trap killer coyotes
August 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under City/Gov, The Latest
Amid a flurry of reports of coyotes showing up in many different parts of Arcadia and killing and injuring many dogs and cats, the City Council on Tuesday directed staff to hire Animal Pest Management (APM) at a cost of $30,000 per year to conduct a trapping program similar to what was done in Arcadia a few years ago.
APM will trap for up to one year in 10-day sessions in the areas most impacted, according to Linda Garcia, the City’s Communications, Marketing and Special Projects Manager.
According to state law, the trapped coyotes will be euthanized by lethal injection since the City is prohibited from relocating wild animals.
The City is in the process of getting the contract and insurance documents in place and expects to begin the program in the next couple of weeks, she said.
A July 23 report here at ArcadiasBest.com of two dogs and a cat being killed by a coyote within a few days of each other on San Antonio Road and nearby streets between Huntington Drive and Colorado Blvd. prompted a handful of comments by readers who reported spotting coyotes and dead cats and dogs in south Arcadia last week and for several months on 4th Street between Camino Real and Duarte Road, near Camino Real and El Monte Ave., and even south of Longden on Palm Drive near El Monte Ave.
The City, which had the trapping program in place until a couple years ago when it was scrapped due to budget cutbacks, has received dozens of complaints in the past couple of weeks and will thus reinstitute the program.
The City also posted general information on its website about precautions regarding wildlife in the City.
– By Scott Hettrick
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I would like to see a past report on how much it cost to trap and kill, broken down PER EACH COYOTE. Killing wild animals is wrong. Rebuild their burned out habitat instead. Don’t do things to attract them. Residents need to use common sense and stop providing a buffet for wild animals driven out of the foothills by fire. All animal rights organizations need to focus media attention on the City of Arcadia and what they are doing.
First: Thank you for covering this issue. Many Arcadia residents have not heard about the city’s program. The trap used is a wire snare. It is baited; it can be a neck snare which tightens as the animal struggles eventually strangling to death or if not killed, suffering for a day or longer, until the person setting the snare comes to check. If the animal is alive, the company states they inject the animal with a lethal drug. Any animal can be caught in the snare including your pet and how would you know?
A representative from the Humane Society of the United States and 4 others spoke at the council meeting 8/17 offering alternatives and urging they stop killing. I have read the staff report for the August 3rd special session which had this item on the agenda. Only two people spoke for the killing of coyotes. The staff report states the police and Pasadena Humane received reports of coyotes “roaming about”. What does one expect? Coyotes move about. They are members of a rich and wonderful wildlfie community which is sharing space with us.
Our city of South Pasadena has had a successful plan since 1983 for coyote encounters. I have offered detailed information to the Arcadia City Council of what works. We have an Animal Commission and our city has consistent messaging to the public on how to peacefully coexist with wildlife. Small changes in our behavior can make a big difference.
Reports are somone in Arcadia was feeding coyotes and the person moved! This is a recipe for trouble. Killing coyotes is ineffective, indiscriminate and inhumane. $30,000 of your taxes could be better spent. If you wish more information, please call (626) 737-6171