Fullerton City Council will update information regarding local coyote populations after voting to receive and file a management plan on Tuesday.
The discourse comes as coyote mating season ends, increasing the animals’ presence in the city and heightening safety concerns.
The plan, while focused on coexisting with coyotes, included components discussing the trapping and possible lethal removal of coyotes.
Instead, the council unanimously voted to receive and file the motion, instructing city employees to educate residents on how to deal with coyotes.
The management plan was constructed by the city manager’s office senior administrative analyst Kim Chaudhry in collaboration with OC Animal Control and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Coyote Management Plan aims to educate and instruct Fullerton residents on how to handle living with coyotes in an urban environment. In addition, the plan outlines what actions to take in the event of an encounter.
Some of the suggested responses include deterring the animal from the area, calling animal control and, if necessary, lethal removal.
Many residents voiced their opinions on the possibility of lethal removal at the meeting.
Council member Fred Jung said the proposed plan was not well thought out and residents should not expect coyotes’ actions to change.
“We keep building, and going into their habitat, and expect them to behave differently,” Jung said. “I think we just have to expect coyotes to behave the way coyotes behave. Anything short of that is not only inhumane, I think it’s quite stupid.”
Last month, the city held a town hall discussion to inform residents on best practices for coexistence with coyotes. At the discussion, residents expressed safety concerns and were unsure about where to report sightings.
“Simply by educating the public on these different processes, policies and procedures, I think we’ll get the best results that way,” said Mayor Nicholas Dunlap. “Rather than continue to focus on the coyote management plan, we should really be focusing on an educational component that can be added to the website.”
The Fullerton website currently has a coyote information section, but the proposed plan would answer common questions that residents have. The website will continue to be updated with information without the plan officially being passed.
“With respect to the overall role of the city, education and outreach really is your primary role,” said city attorney Richard Jones. “With respect to the enforcement aspect, much of that is controlled by state law and as a result we look to the state law to address this, rather than us being engaged at that level. It seems to me that’s the best of both policies to result in satisfaction to the community.”
Fullerton residents Craig Lawson and Judy Lawson were firmly in support of any measures taken to reduce the coyote population in the city.
“We are for either killing them or relocating them,” said Judy Lawson. “We’ve already had one dog killed. We can’t even have our dog in the backyard anymore because the coyotes will come right in our backyard.”
Craig Lawson also pleaded with the council to look at it from a residential standpoint when asking council members to adopt the Coyote Management Plan.
While the Lawsons were outspoken in their support of lowering the coyote population, residents from nearby cities and animal rights advocates firmly protested any physical action against the animals.
Roger Dobson is a member of the Cowlitz Indian tribe and advocated against the plan. He stressed the importance of the coyote spirit in Native American culture and religion.
“I’ve spoken to several tribal members today from around here,” Dobson said. “A lot of their religious medicines and beliefs originate from the coyote spirit.”
In addition to Dobson, Orange resident Matthew Duncan, also came to shut down the Coyote Management Plan that was presented to the city council.
Duncan said he had a “real concern” when looking at the suggested responses in the Coyote Management Plan. Duncan pointed out that seven out of the 11 encounters with coyotes listed in the plan could result in lethal removal of the animal.
The city will continue to educate residents on how to minimize interactions with coyotes and decrease the chances of attacks.
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.