Arcadia to reexamine coyote trapping program
Posted: 01/05/2011 12:57:35 AM PST
The Arcadia City Council will hold an open study session later this month to re-examine the recent reinstatement of its coyote trapping program.
The decision was made Tuesday night after local animal rights' activists spoke and presented a petition to council members that they said bore signatures of more than 1,000 Arcadia residents that oppose the program. "I understand that only two coyotes were trapped in the last month," said Councilman Gary Kovacic at the end of the meeting. "Fiscally speaking, I 'm not sure it makes much sense to continue to pay money to trap two coyotes a month... My preference would be to suspend it at this time." The program was reinstated in August following a two-year hiatus after several residents complained of coyote attacks on their pets. Since then, local activists have protested the move regularly at council meetings and organized a forum on coexisting with the creatures. Once trapped, the coyotes are euthanized since state law prohibit's the animals from being relocated.
"We're very pleased," said Bonnie Baron, a Pasadena resident and member of San Gabriel Valley Friends of Wildlife, after the meeting. "I think the citizens here have spoken through those petitions and hopefully their attendance at the next council meeting will be powerful."
The city hired Chino-based Animal Pest Management to operate the trapping program and will pay the company up to $30,000.
The study session, which will be open to the public,.
The decision was made Tuesday night after local animal rights' activists spoke and presented a petition to council members that they said bore signatures of more than 1,000 Arcadia residents that oppose the program. "I understand that only two coyotes were trapped in the last month," said Councilman Gary Kovacic at the end of the meeting. "Fiscally speaking, I 'm not sure it makes much sense to continue to pay money to trap two coyotes a month... My preference would be to suspend it at this time." The program was reinstated in August following a two-year hiatus after several residents complained of coyote attacks on their pets. Since then, local activists have protested the move regularly at council meetings and organized a forum on coexisting with the creatures. Once trapped, the coyotes are euthanized since state law prohibit's the animals from being relocated.
"We're very pleased," said Bonnie Baron, a Pasadena resident and member of San Gabriel Valley Friends of Wildlife, after the meeting. "I think the citizens here have spoken through those petitions and hopefully their attendance at the next council meeting will be powerful."
The city hired Chino-based Animal Pest Management to operate the trapping program and will pay the company up to $30,000.
The study session, which will be open to the public,.
Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17014065?source=email#ixzz1AKAO9L3Q
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