Officials Warn Residents to Watch Out for Coyotes

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.