Coyotes In Hancock Park Have Residents On Edge
HANCOCK PARK (CBSLA.com) — Officials have issued a coyote alert for an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood after a man was chased and a dog killed in recent weeks.
KCAL9's Serene Branson reports city leaders are calling for a plan of attack following the incidents in Hancock Park.
Kathy White said her five-year-old Brussels Griffon, Jack, was grabbed in the front yard of her family's home as they were taking their Christmas tree inside in December.
Shortly after, a man was chased by a coyote at the nearby Wilshire Country Club.
And White, still heartbroken over the loss of her pet, is on edge.
"They are down here and we have to be vigilant and we have to be careful," she said, recalling the moment Jack was taken. "The coyote had come without a sound and took him away."
Family and neighbors fanned out after the attack, and just down the street White saw Jack.
"Out of the corner of my eye I saw the coyote with my dog. When the neighbors scared him and I was scaring him, he dropped the dog and ran across the street and just watched us," White said.
White, who is now protective of her other dog, Chica, said she has seen the coyotes in the Hills. But this was a first for her in the flats of Hancock Park, where coyotes have been spotted in yards during the day.
"People have to be aware they are getting ready to mate... then they're creating a den... and that's the time that animals will, again, disappear," she said.
Officials say it's been a dry year, and the animals have come further south, perhaps from Runyon Canyon.
L.A. City Animal Services advises residents not to feed wild animals, including feral cats, which can attract coyotes. They also say to keep dogs on a leash, pick low-hanging fruit and keep the ground clear.
Officials with Animal Services say they have stepped up patrols in the area, and they are very concerned because of the bold nature of the coyotes, saying they can go after small children.
City Councilman Tom LaBonge says he's working with the director of Animal Services to develop an overall safety plan.
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