Corona del Mar Today: Coyote attacks dog the same night as a meeting about coyotes

A coyote attack occurred in the Flower Streets early Wednesday evening — just as a meeting about how to deal with aggressive coyotes was wrapping up about one mile away.

The attack occurred just before 7 p.m. when a woman was walking southbound in the street on Larkspur Avenue toward Third Avenue, said police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella.

“She had a Chihuahua on her left side, and a larger dog on her right side,” Manzella said. “The Chihuahua was leashed and was walking near the cars on the east curb line. The coyote emerged from underneath one of the cars and picked up the small dog. When the woman reached down toward her dog, the coyote dropped the dog and ran off. She was then bitten by her injured dog.”

News of the coyote attack quickly appeared on social media sites, with some rumors that the coyote had bitten the woman.

“The coyote was not aggressive toward the woman and did not bite her,” Manzella said. “The coyote’s actions were not unusual, but they were bold (moving close to a human in order to attack a dog).”

At the Wednesday Speak Up Newport meeting, city, county and state agencies discussed how to haze coyotes, or scare them away, and a Newport Beach animal control officer outlined a program that the City Council could adopt in January.

That program would include education, collecting and analyzing data about coyote reports and implementing a color-tiered system, where green represents a coyote was spotted, yellow means they are acting more aggressively, orange means they’ve attacked animals and red means that humans were involved.

At the meeting, some residents said they wanted the coyotes trapped and killed, and one man stormed out of the meeting after calling the discussion about the pilot program “garbage.”

The dog involved in the Wednesday attack was treated and should fully recover, Manzella said. The woman received treatment on Thursday for her dog bite.

Animal control officers canvassed the area Thursday, Manzella, said, distributing education literature and talking to residents.

“We are encouraging residents to report coyote activity and sightings by calling our non-emergency line at (949) 644-3717,” she said.

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Nov. 17 chamber luncheon is at Fig & Olive

A Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce luncheon will take place at Fig & Olive, 151 Newport Center Drive, on Nov. 17, according to an event flier.

The featured speaker at the event will be Janette Freeman, a life coach and author, who will talk about “The Science Behind the ‘Woo Woo: Wiring Your Brain For Success and Happiness!” according to an event flier.

“Dr. Janette is a dynamic, motivating, and inspiring speaker/teacher who infuses her talks with anecdotes, humor, and thoughtful universal messages,” the flier said. “She’s filled with contagious energy, is entertaining and energetic, and speaks eloquently from the heart. Her message takes many different forms and ‘stories’, but is always centered around personal and/or spiritual growth, living your authentic life, moving through transitions, and shifting into a more conscious life.”

The luncheon costs $30 for chamber members and $40 for guests. Check-in and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., with lunch and the program running from noon to 1:15 p.m.

The three-course lunch will include a salad with roasted butternut squash, grilled thyme chicken and a dessert of chocolate pot de creme. Vegetarians should let organizers know in advance of dietary restrictions.

The event is expected to sell out, so organizers urge you to reserve a spot today by calling (949) 673-4050.

Corona del Mar Today appears Sundays in the Daily Pilot. Read daily updates at coronadelmartoday.com.