Sadly, trapping continues big time in vast areas of the country in the name of “management”. This policy produces harm and heartache for the animals and for those of us who care about them. It’s not management, it’s animal abuse and it’s shameful — an immense contradiction for the human species which considers itself the custodians of our planet. Let’s practice the values we believe in. Real “management” involves simple education. Let’s get information out to folks to help turn the tide. This posting is towards that end.
The letter I wrote in a comment below has information for people who don’t know that trapping has only negative consequences. Even those people who love coyotes often believe relocation is best for the coyote and the humane thing to do — they are innocent of the truth. We need to let them know the truth, and at the same time let them know that precautions to make coexistence work are indeed simple.
*[Trapping is not occurring in SF, but it is happening elsewhere. SF has a stellar coyote coexistence policy based on education. Yay, San Francisco!]
A. Resist trapping and killing coyotes in your area
Facts prove that coyotes are not dangerous to humans: they avoid humans. Pets can easily be protected by following simple guidelines. Unbeknownst to many, trapping ALWAYS leads to killing (see letter in comment below). Please #resist those instigating trap and kill policies. Please help get educational materials out to everyone — we all have a stake in this. Call your supervisors, homeowner associations, social media and neighbors: let them know what you think about outmoded trap/kill policies and give them current educational materials.
B. Simple, Effective Guidelines:
1) Keep your distance always from all wildlife and don’t approach — the more distance, the better.
2) Allowing cats to roam free puts them in danger from dogs, cars, raccoons, coyotes and more. Coyotes don’t know who is a pet and who isn’t: how would they know the difference between a cat and any other prey?
3) Always remain vigilant while walking your pet. If you see a coyote, at any distance, while out with your dog: leash right away, shorten your leash, and walk the other way. See “How to Handle A Coyote Encounter”, below.
C. Focused, Factual Resources:
1) “Coyotes as Neighbors, what to know and do”, an introductory video presentation. [Also in Spanish, Mandarin, shortened English version].
2) “How to Handle A Coyote Encounter”, a downloadable, concise and informative flyer. More coexistence guides can be found on the coyotecoexistence.com website.
3) Inside A Coyote Family, an article which appeared in WildCare Magazine about coyote family life. More about coyote behavior and family life can be found on coyoteyipps.com.
D. Why Trapping is Inhumane and Doesn’t Work:
See letter by Yipps in the comments for a sample letter you could write about why trapping is inhumane and doesn’t work.
Coyote Yipps 
Nov 09, 2017 @ 23:56:36
I have co-existed with coyotes for 13 years now. We have no less than 5 coyotes that frequent our property. Over the years I have found the best ways to deal with them. The answer is not to remove them or kill them. The coyotes have a way to strike their own balance with nature. If you remove the coyotes the rabbits , ground squirrels, rats , Snakes and mice will all over populate. Best to leave mother nature alone.. Remember you are the one that moved into their Territory.
Nov 10, 2017 @ 01:50:54
Thank you, Coyote Central! This is so true. Please spread your information far and wide! :)) Janet
Nov 10, 2017 @ 03:43:19
This posting was written in response to a lady who contacted us from Florida. She needed easy but concise ammunition to stop her neighbors’ plan to trap. This posting, along with the letter below serves as a resource for her and others.
This is the posting the lady found on her neighborhood blog and sent it to us:
Wondering if the idea had any merit, that the solution might possibly be a good one for the coyotes, was a wakeup call to us: CARING PEOPLE OFTEN DON’T KNOW the horrors that trapping entails. Please use information from the posting and this letter to fight trapping in your area.
Sincerely,