PROJECT COYOTE gaining momentum in convincing Communities to learn to co-exist with Coyotes rather than trapping and killing them..............Carson, California is the latest town to give co-existance a try---Thumbs up to our friends Camilla Fox and Randy Feilich for putting in the time and energy to open the minds of Carson residents to a sustainability plan for our Songdogs

From:  Camilla Fox ;cfox@projectcoyote.org
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 05:30:28 -0700
To: Rick Meril
Subject: Carson coyotes won't be trapped for now

Project Coyote scored a significant victory today on the coyote trapping front in the City of Carson, CA (suburb of LA). We shifted the vote from 100% in favor of  coyote trapping and killing at the  last two City Council meetings to a unanimous decision today to stop trapping for now and instead explore development of a coyote coexistence program w/ establishment of a task force. I think our petition (signed by over 10,000 people), our presence (along with wildlife advocates we mobilized), our offering of expertise and guidance and the media's presence is what shifted the vote.

You can see our news release about this attached and on Project Coyote's Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151054832787173&set=a.156680717172.114095.84167917172&type=1&theater

And just last week we scored a similar victory in the City of Davis- this time convincing their City Council and Mayor to stop contracting with USDA Wildlife Services and hence end subsidized predator control. Read more here:
Davis Cuts Ties with Wildlife Services Over Coyote Killings
By Tom Knudson
Sacramento Bee
7.19.12

We have committed to both communities to help them develop model coyote coexistence plans and public outreach programs starting with educational evening forums on Living with Coyotes that will be free and open to the public.

There's nothing that gives me greater joy than to see people mobilized and empowered at the grassroots level to create real change and to make this a better world for animals and the earth.

Progress ~ one community at a time!

For America's Song Dog,

Camilla
____________________
Camilla H. Fox, Executive Director
Project Coyote
P.O. Box 5007
Larkspur, CA 94977
ph: 415.945.3232
www.ProjectCoyote.org

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Los Angeles News
Carson coyotes won't be trapped for now
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Leo Stallworth

CARSON, Calif. (KABC) -- Carson city officials called an emergency meeting to deal with thecity's coyote problem. Coyotes have been roaming neighborhoods, andresidents are terrified.

"We're all in danger. We've got a lot of frail, older seniorsthat walk a dog. If a coyote went after them, they would not have achance," said Tiny Cook, a Carson resident.

Animal rightsactivists are demanding that the city stop trapping and killing coyotes. City officials on Wednesday voted to suspend all trapping of coyotes.Trappers had removed four coyotes this year. State law requires coyotesthat are trapped to be euthanized instead of being relocated.
Officials decided to bring in animal rights groups to find a more humane way to deal with the problem.

"With coyote education and a co-existence strategy that we can work togetherwith the city of Carson, and hopefully at that point, trapping will notbe an issue," said Randi Feilich of Project Coyote.
Carson Mayor Jim Dear said if the new plan does not work, they will consider going back to trapping."It is still a distinct possibility if this plan doesn't work, but I have to add, I believe this plan will work," Dear said.

Officials said this spring, an explosion in the coyote population in the city'smarshlands has created a crisis. They said hungry coyotes have attackedand killed nearly two dozen dogs and cats. Residents are walking theirpets, armed with bats, sticks, pepper spray and blow horns.
Carson resident Paul Randall said he has been chased by coyotes several times. He is willing to try the more humane way to deal with this crisis.

"We are willing to work with anybody and we're headed in that direction indoing what is best for the coyotes and what's best for the residents,"said Randall.
Randall said educating the public, in part, calls for residents not to leave pet food or pets out unattended. He saidtaking the coyotes' food source away will hopefully make them stay away.
If the more humane education campaign fails, city officials plan torevisit the issue next month to decide whether or not to go back totrapping and killing coyotes.