Long Beach
Animal Care Services

Long Beach, CA – This is the time of year when coyote pups become more visible in the community because they are growing up and leaving their dens more frequently. Because they do not require open space to survive, coyotes have successfully adapted to living in urban and suburban neighborhoods and can be seen at any time of day, although they are most active at dusk, dawn and at night. Due to this, Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) is reminding residents of the following important safeguards to protect pets and property against coyotes and other wild or unwanted animals.

Safety and Prevention

LBACS recommends Long Beach residents to keep in mind the following techniques in order to compassionately co-exist with coyotes while also protecting yourself and your pets:

• Keep pets, especially cats and small dogs, inside.
• Keep pet food indoors and, if feeding pets outdoors, supervise feedings and remove food bowls within an hour.
• Stay close to pets when they are outside and keep them on a leash, especially between dusk and dawn.
• Harvest ripe fruit from trees and remove fallen fruit from the ground. Coyotes can climb trees to eat fruit.
• Bag food waste and make sure trash containers are securely closed.
• Use “hazing” techniques to shoo away coyotes, such as:
• Standing tall, yelling and waving arms
• Using a whistle, air horn, bell or other noisemaking device
• Banging pots or pans together
• Stomping your feet
• Flashing bright lights at the coyote
• Spraying water from a hose toward the coyote
• Spraying pepper spray at a coyote, if absolutely needed for protection
• Throwing tennis balls or sticks toward the coyote with the intent of scaring it off and not harming it
• Never run from a coyote. Running from a coyote can instigate the coyote’s prey instinct to chase.
• Never feed coyotes or any other outdoor or wild animals.

Reporting Coyote Activity

LBACS urges residents to report any observed coyote activity, including sightings and encounters, after observing the activity. Reports can be made online, by emailing animalcare@longbeach.gov or by calling 562.570.7387.

While LBACS does not respond to calls for service for normal coyote behavior, such as sightings, these reports are still important as they are recorded and documented. LBACS Animal Control Officers will respond to coyote calls if the coyote is sick or injured, or out in the daytime in areas near to people, especially children at parks or schools or anytime there is an attack or threatening behavior toward a person or pet. To determine if an Animal Control Officer is needed, residents may call 562.570.7387. If a coyote is posing an imminent threat to life, call 9-1-1.

Education and Outreach

To request additional educational materials, including informational flyers and handouts, or to schedule a speaker for a neighborhood watch or community meeting, residents may email animalcare@longbeach.gov or call 562.570.7387.

Residents may also review Long Beach’s Coyote Management Plan which further outlines how LBACS responds to concerns about coyotes.

More information is available at longbeach.gov/acs/wildlife.

Media inquiries can be directed to Staycee Dains, Manager, Animal Care Services Bureau, Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, at 562.570.3051 or Staycee.Dains@longbeach.gov.