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WILDLIFE :: COYOTES ARE HERE TO STAY
Following coyote bite at CT highway rest area
The Humane Society of the United States offers advice to co-exist
with coyotes
(WASHINGTON) September 25, 2006 -- Coyotes are a reality in today’s
urban landscape, and they are here to stay. The coyote incident last
week in Connecticut, where a woman was nipped walking at a rest area
off of Interstate 95, has understandably instilled a new fear in
people. Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife for The Humane
Society of the United States reports that “Despite this woman
getting bitten, statistics show that coyotes are not nearly as
dangerous as their sensationalized reputation. Neither the Centers
for Disease Control, nor state and local health departments,
consider coyotes to be a human safety risk.”
She further explains “Most coyote bites can be directly traced to
the coyote having been fed by humans – as in this case, where
McDonalds’ employees acknowledged that the coyote was routinely fed.
It is important to keep this rare incident in perspective: only a
handful of people are bitten by coyotes nationwide each year,
whereas over 4.7 million people are bitten by domestic dogs every
year.”
Humans can co-exist with coyotes but they need to take sensible
precautions to ensure that coyotes are not enticed to their property
– or public areas like highway rest stops -- for a free buffet which
includes garbage as well as pet food left outdoors for cats and
dogs. Tips for co-existing with coyotes include:
- Keep garbage in a secure container, and only put it outside on
the morning of pick-up.
- Do not put any meat scraps in compost heaps.
- Do not leave any pet food outside overnight.
- Cut back brush around your property that provides cover for
coyotes or their prey.
- Do not let domestic animals roam free for their own protection,
whether the danger is from native wildlife, cars, or even
mean-spirited people.
“People often blame the disappearance of their outdoor cats on
coyotes, when the more likely culprit is the automobile,” says
Simon. “Coyotes seek out the type of prey that will give them the
greatest reward with minimal risk of injury to themselves -- from a
coyote’s point of view, dogs and cats are far more effort than
they’re worth!”
The HSUS Wild Neighbors Program promotes non-lethal means for
resolving conflicts between people and wildlife and cultivates
understanding and appreciation for wild animals commonly found in
cities and towns. On the web at
www.wildneighbors.org.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203-270-8929,
rodicompany@earthlink.net.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest
animal protection organization representing more than 9.5 million
members and constituents. The non-profit organization is a
mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion
animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat
protection, animals in research, equine protection and farm animal
welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education,
investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work.
The group is based in Washington and has numerous field
representatives across the country. On the web at
www.hsus.org.
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
www.hsus.org
Promoting the Protection of All Animals
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