Dog is killed by coyote in Boston yard

[urbpan]

Dog is killed by coyote in Boston yard

And the "problem" finally comes to Boston. I'll throw it up to Urban Pantheist readers:

What is to be done about coyotes (or other potentially dangerous wild animals)in the city?

Comments

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

You need to fix your tag hon.

It would only happen to that guy's toddler if said baby was put out in the yard at 11pm. :)

Can we rent the dogs out as coyote control?

[vampyrusgirl.livejournal.com]

That is such a hard one. The whole reason they are getting to more urban environments is because we are squuezing them out of their habitat and destroying their natural hunting grounds. The best thing we can do is monitor the populations and see if any population control is necessary and to not let your pets outside unattended. Not ideal, but hey, we did create the situation.

[rwblackbird.livejournal.com]

The fact of the matter is that this is a residential area; this should not be happening

The fact of the matter is that we are not the exclusive residents of this planet. We should be impressed that other animals are actually able to adapt to the excessive alterations we have made to their ecosystems and welcome them back to their former homes.

When I lived in North Bay, before Christmas, there’d be footprints of a passing wolf pack on the frozen pond behind my campus, and bears occasionally wandering around the residences looking for a snack. I loved the feeling of being so close and involved with the natural world.

What is to be done about the coyotes?

a) Get a bigger dog.
b) when my black lab was being teased by coyotes, we just built a fence.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

Good fences make good neighbors. Good advice.

[miz-geek.livejournal.com]

When I volunteered at a wildlife rehab center in Ohio I learned that state law prohibited us from releasing any coyote that might be brought in. I think it was an old farm law - can't have the coyotes eating the chickens.

Are they big enough to eat the deer and the canada geese that are now problems everywhere?

[rwblackbird.livejournal.com]

The coyotes at my local airport look big enough to eat a deer, but I doubt they could even take on a goose.

I know for certain that they could deal with any strawberry, avocado, or watermelon problems.

[miz-geek.livejournal.com]

I just read a few lines of this article to my husband. His comment, "Coyotes in Boston? Hmmm. Well, I suppose there's enough garbage and stuff for them to eat. And west highland terriers."

Do you have a lot of strawberry problems?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

The coyotes in New England are bigger on average than in most other places. They could take a fawn, or an injured deer. Geese fight back pretty well. My Charlie killed one, but that's because he's more amphibious than the average coyote.

Coyotes like easy meals, and you can't get much easier than a small tethered dog. Hell, a tethered bear is easier prey than many animals.

Cat or dog food outside and trash (along with cats and tethered dogss) is what is going to draw them into residential neighborhoods. If Beast in the Garden is to be believed, a coyote that's feeding on pets is likely to graduate to small humans.

My advice is: Don't leave dogs chained outside, don't put cats out, fence your yard if you don't like wildlife, and if a coyote (, mountain lion, bear, wolf, chupacabra) does come into your yard scare it off with shouting and if necessary, force.

I for one want to live in a world where large animals come into cities--but we should collectively avoid becoming a food source for them. (Don't feed terriers to the coyotes, it only encourages them.)

Beast in the garden

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

A quick bit of on-line research leads me to believe that beast in the garden is entirely about cougars. I'm still pretty sure that there's no record od a coyote attacking a human. I'd actually forgotten about Maxi getting attcked by Krupa's dog. Was she actually tethered? If so, what fool put there hands close enough to her mouth to clip something to her colllar?

Re: Beast in the garden

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

"Beast in the Garden" is specifically about mountain lions, but it refers to an animal behavior principal (Habituation--where an animal becomes "used to" a given situation due to constant exposure without consequences) that I think applies here.

Here is some information about coyote attacks on humans (mostly small children, since they are in the natural prey size range.)

Re: Beast in the garden

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I knew you'd have the facts.

Re: Beast in the garden

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we used to tether Maxi next to that maple tree out back. Dad probably put her out there--he's got the broken fingers to prove it. I think you were at college when when she got attacked. I remember M+P+I all crying our eyes out all day after we took her to the vet. Amazing that they were able to sew her up.

[dragondazd.livejournal.com]

That's pretty infuriating. Blam e coyotes for being in the place you chased them out of. Brilliant. I bet Maggie was a punter.

[rwblackbird.livejournal.com]

P.S.

I just found this:

Tips On Coexisting With Urban Wildlife: Coyote
http://www.fundwildlife.org/coexist/coyotes.html

interesting and relevant

ok… I’ll stop posting comments now

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your posts very much, Dan! If you are interested (and if you trust me that I will publish it some day) I'd love to have an article from you for my "Invasion of the Megafauna" issue.

More on Human/coyote relations:

Coyote attacks on humans

MSPCA info on coyotes

Civil War or Civility: How to Live with Urban Coyotes

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Wow. I have so many comments running through my head. Most of which would probably get me thrown off this board. The victim, or rather, potential dinner was a 12-year-old rat dog? I lived with a small, yippy, foul tempered Cairn Terrier too long to have any cute Toto illusions. I remember reading somewhere that dogs have no concept of size. Someone out there probably can tell me if that's true. Is it possible the little beast thought it could take the coyote?

12. That's like, what, 327 in human years? Maybe that's the way Maggie wanted to go. "Och, ye wilna catch me shakin' paws wi' the reaper from a wee comfy cushion. Nah it's the coyote for me, and that coyote's goonta know what a Yorkie's made o' before I go, I'll tell ye boyos."

I also seem to recall from somewhere that no human has ever been attacked by a coyote. Does anyone know if that's true? My experience with them is that they're awfully skittish. They certainly don't inspire the dangerous awe that a wolf does.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I thought of Maxi, too. The dog that was attacked was essentially a white version of her. I was there when the neighbors white German shepherd came over and grabbed Maxi while she was tethered--basically the same situation. Maxi never backed down, until she was shaken almost to death. I bet it was the same with the Westie. In my experience (walking my scary pitbull), little dogs in general and terriers in particular, don't know that they are small. Charlie is usually scared of terriers, but not pugs, french bulldogs and Bostons (Boston terriers, I mean, which aren't terriers).

What's interesting to me about coyote/dog interactions is that coyotes are dogs. They are closely enough related to produce fertile offspring. In fact, coydogs (hybrids of the two) are thought to be much more dangerous than coyotes.

Since pitbulls, if bred properly, are dog-aggressive (not human-aggressive) they would be a good choice to protect children from coyotes and coydogs.

teased by coyotes

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

"whoooeee, that;s a mighty sweet collar you're sportin' there. You got a dress to go with it? 'Rex' huh? is that you're slave name? Yeah? whatcyo gonna do 'bout it beeyotch? Yeah I didn't think so. Run home to your mama, leash boy."

[wakarusa.livejournal.com]

coyotes out here are fine. giant problem is wild dog packs.

very long problematic cultural history with coyote/ people - well, white people - interactions. See Thomad Dunlap's book, Saving america's wildlife (think that is the title).

The Dine have a much different take on the trickster.

My in-laws have a westie, and I must endorse the terrier-with-no-concept-of-size interpretation.

I am also from a background where one never leaves a tethered animal untended, or, no shit, it will be eaten and/or have a broken neck when you get back.