Live And Let Live? Calabasas Cuts Funds For Shooting, Trapping Coyotes
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — You could call it the wildlife version of the "Occupy" movement.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports Calabasas has joined the ranks of cities who are adopting a "live and let live" policy with coyotes.
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The city's decision to scrap its past practices of shooting or trapping coyotes when they became a nuisance stemmed from growing opposition to public funds being used to deal with the animals.
Instead, officials will used the cash for community outreach and education efforts, including passing out brochures with tips on how to co-exist with the animals.
"I think it's better to be able to treat them, you know, co-exist, try to avoid them if possible, but not to get rid of them, shoot them," said one resident.
Various Southland cities are taking different steps to deal with coyotes moving into residential areas, including recent attacks against pets in Orange County and coyote "squatters" in Glendale.
But there are some residents in Calabasas who endorse a more aggressive strategy.
"It is good to educate people because there are people being hurt and animals being killed, but we're going to have to trap them, we're ultimately going to have to trap them if the population continues to grow," said another woman.
