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Politics & Government

Laguna Woods Goes Gunning for Coyotes

An emergency law lets wildlife-control firms shoot the animals.

A gang of seven coyotes is officially under the gun in Laguna Woods. Although traps have eliminated three of the animals, city officials are bringing out heavy artillery for the rest.

On Thursday, the City Council rewrote local gun laws so private contractors can use firearms against the four-legged fugitives.

Before, only police officers were authorized to fire guns in town.

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The new law follows reports of a as she hung onto the leash of her Yorkie while coyotes grabbed and gobbled the pet.

“We now have multiple incidents of coyotes attacking dogs on leashes during the day,” City Manager Leslie Keane said.   

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In the past, city officials have relied on traps, snares, pepper spray and tranquilizer guns to combat coyotes.

But this season, the animals seem bolder, partly because of human actions, officials said.

“We have residents here who are intentionally feeding coyotes,” Keane said, adding that anyone caught can be fined up to $1,000.  “We have seen evidence and we are actively investigating so we can stop this very dangerous practice.”

The coyotes have lost their "natural fear of coming in contact with people," Mayor Bert Hack said.

The city has identified seven coyotes as the primary culprits. Three were captured with traps and euthanized. State fish and game wardens were asked to exterminate the rest, but they cannot intervene unless an animal directly attacks a human.

“I’m not in favor of firearms normally, but this not a normal situation,” one resident told the council during Thursday's meeting.

Marilyn Chen, a cat owner who has lost pets to coyotes, urged the city to conduct more research first. “I hope that you have consulted with other cities who have had coyote problems,” she said.

Aliso Viejo's last reported coyote sighting was in June, with no attacks on record. Laguna Beach has also had sightings with a .

The emergency ordinance in Laguna Woods, which was passed unanimously, allows the city manager, in conjunction with Laguna Woods' police services chief, to issue gun permits to licensed wildlife management companies.

The measure also allows ceremonial shootings at memorial services for veterans, Keane said.

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