Pasadena City Council prioritizes education over lethal control in coyote management

The City Council of Pasadena passed a resolution Monday prioritizing education over lethal control of local coyotes. The decision was made after deep consideration over the mounting issue of human-coyote interactions in the city. The council’s move comes amid rising concerns from residents, who have registered numerous complaints, including 51 calls thus far this year, regarding alarming activities of the animals, even reporting incidents of pet casualties caused by coyote attacks.

The council’s decision to opt for an educational approach towards the management of the coyote population is reflective of a broader goal to foster a more harmonious relationship between humans and wildlife in the area. The discourse surrounding the plan began with the Public Health Department carrying out extensive research to explore different control methods.

Control methods ranged from the aggressive, such as trapping and euthanizing the animals, to more placid methods which revolved around human education and non-lethal coyote management strategies, mentioned an official from the Public Health Department. However, the more aggressive methods, specifically lethal control tactics, faced stiff objection from numerous constituents, as was clear in the dozens of emotionally charged appeals at the council’s public meeting.

One of the speakers, an advocate for non-lethal methods for wildlife management, argued, “If it seems like there’s lots of coyotes in your neighborhood, it’s a direct result of you and your neighbors, your habits, your lifestyle, and your behaviors.” This comment reflected a prevailing sentiment amongst some speakers that human behaviors, like leaving food waste unsecured, could be contributing to the spike in coyote sightings within city limits.

This discourse led to the council voting in favor of implementing non-lethal solutions. These involve inviting coyote experts for community workshops, and collaborating effectively with neighboring cities that have been wrestling with the same concerns and with the humane society.

The council felt an educational approach, imparting information on how to coexist with coyotes and other wildlife, was a more sustainable and humane solution than euthanasia. However, it remains to be seen how residents will respond to this new approach and whether the council’s non-lethal strategy proves to be effective in curbing the coyote nuisance in the area.

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