Sheriff's deputies were warning residents to watch out for coyotes after a coyote ran into a La Crescenta home last Thursday.
A coyote ripped through a screen door and entered a house in the 2300 block of Panorama Drive about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 18, Raymond Smith, a biologist with Los Angeles County Weed Hazard and Pest Management Bureau told in an email.
The coyote apparently was trapped in the home and panicked, Smith said. A resident heard the coyote and called the Crescenta Valley sheriff's station.
"Sheriff's deputies got there and just kind of chased it out of the residence," said sheriff's Sgt. Tracy Stewart of the Crescenta Valley Station.
No pets were inside the home and the animal did not appear to be aggressive, Smith said.
There have been about nine coyote-related reports in the La Crescenta and Montrose area since January, Smith said.
"The nature of the calls ranged from simple sightings to dog parts being left on a property and coyotes that appear unafraid of people," Smith said. "It doesn't look like we responded with trapping [coyotes] in La Crescenta so far this year."
Stewart warned this type of incident does not happen often, but there are precautions that locals can take.
Coyotes are more prevalent in the spring as they protect and care for their young, and as a result may be more aggressive.
Residents should not feed coyotes; it is against the law in Los Angeles County.
Trash cans should be secured and not kept out at night. Also, all pets and pet food should be inside a home at night. Clearing brush around a home might provide shelter for animals. Installing motion-sensitive lights around your home can also keep coyotes away.
The CV Town Council website provides more tips on how to prevent coyotes.
Coyotes with mange cannot hunt, so when she was sick, she was forced to scavenge for food. She was not a danger to anyone, or to pets during that time. And how did she get mange? Rodent poisons. People leave it to kill rats/mice, but any other animal can eat it. Coyotes..your pets..it's very dangerous stuff and ruins their immune systems which can cause sickness and of course, death. A terrible, slow death. Please don't use poisons! Mangy coyotes are the ones who are way more likely to come near your house looking for food. And..keep your dang pets inside, people! There should be NO outdoor cats/dogs. Especially small ones. Bottom line: If your pet/child is not outside alone, they can't be attacked, mkay? We have bears and mountain lions too, so use some sense. Off my soapbox now.
A lot of people are complaining about how active the coyotes have been lately. I was walking my dalmatian several weeks ago and saw a coyote running up the sidewalk on Rosemont Avenue. It scared me, too, because it didn't seem frightened of people.