IS THIS EVEN A PROBLEM?

Coyotes roam free in the People’s Republic of San Francisco

By Bob Walsh | PACOVILLA Corrections blog | September 18, 2015

The natives of the Ingleside Terrace district in the People’s Republic of San Francisco may, or may not, have a problem depending on who you ask. They have more coyotes than some might like, and fewer cats than some might like.

The coyotes have been spotted with increasing regularity in the area. They are believed to have munched the occasional cat for lunch, including a few that were pets and probably more than a few feral cats.

It is against the law in SF to trap, kill or otherwise harass wild animals unless they post an immediate threat to humans. This policy worries some of the local nervous nellies, who picture them running off with small children in their jaws.

There is only one documented case of a coyote killing a human being in the entire United States since forever. That happened in L A when a few of them killed a 3-year old in 1981. It turns out the child’s parents had been feeding the coyotes. Maybe they forgot to put out the food dish that day? Tragic, but you can’t blame the coyote for the parent’s stupidity. In addition coyote bites of human beings are also very rare.

So far the only fix that everybody seems to approve of is the city putting up signs that say BE COYOTE AWARE in areas where the critters are believed to have taken up residence.