Calabasas, California Votes Unanimously to End Coyote Killing

How We Won

Oct 13, 2011

The city council of Calabasas unanimously voted to prohibit any city funds from being spent on coyote trapping and to instead adopt a coyote management plan that shifts the focus from killing to coexistence.

This model plan comes after local resident and Project Coyote representative Randi Feilich Hirsch brought concerns over coyote trapping to the council in July. Working with Camilla Fox, executive director of the California-based Project Coyote and wildlife consultant with the Animal Welfare Institute, they helped the city create a plan that emphasizes long-term education, reduction of wildlife attractants, and implementing hazing for habituated coyotes.

Once the city had suspended coyote trapping to review their management plan, Project Coyote created a petition on Change.org that quickly gathered more than 9,000 signatures in support of permanently ending coyote trapping. The petition was presented at the public hearing ahead of the city council's final vote. Feilich Hirsch said, "It really shows that concerned citizens can speak up at the local level and make changes in city policy."

Join Project Coyote and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)  in urging the City of Calabasas, California to make permanent its temporary ban on indiscriminate coyote killing

After public outcry against the indiscriminate and cruel trapping and killing of coyotes in the City by a county trapper, the City temporarily suspended the killing pending further review.

The City is currently reviewing the issue and will submit a recommended course of action to the Calabasas City Council on Oct. 5th. This will be posted on the City's website on Oct. 5th for public review. There will be a public hearing on the issue on October 12th and the City Council will vote on the issue that evening. Check here (after Oct. 5th) for more information about the hearing and to see a copy of the proposed plan.

YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED!  Please sign this petition and submit comments  to the City Council via the City Clerk by email- gpeirce@cityofcalabasas.com

TALKING POINTS (please be respectful and personalize your message): 

*Commend the City of Calabasas for its decision to stop spending tax dollars on coyote trapping and killing and urge the City Council to make the temporary moratorium permanent.

* Indiscriminate trapping of coyotes is not an effective or humane solution to reduce real or perceived conflicts between people, coyotes, and domestic animals. Coyotes are here to stay. We must learn to coexist. Education is the key.

 *There are many effective non-lethal methods for reducing negative encounters between people, coyotes, and domestic animals. More info. here.

*Coyotes play an important role in keeping rodent populations in check and ecosystems clean of carrion (dead things). Coyotes also help to limit mescarnivoress (e.g. foxes, skunks) thereby helping boost bird population and diversity.

*We're here to help. Encourage the City of Calabasas to work with Project Coyote and AWI in adopting and implementing an ecologically and ethically sound long-term coyote coexistence plan that emphasizes public education, reducing coyote/wildlife attractants, and hazing of habituated coyotes.

Remember to include your name, address, and email when submitting public comments so that your comments will be counted in the official record!

Thank you for writing on behalf of America’s Native Song Dog!

Read more here:

Coyotes Seen as Friends, Not Enemies

Coyote Traps in Urban Area Cause Concern

Why People Are Signing

Recent Signatures