Villa Park Rejects Plan to Exterminate Coyotes

A motion to trap and kill coyotes was defeated Tuesday night by the Villa Park City Council, after hours of debate by an overflow audience.

The 3-1 vote against Councilman Barry L. Denes’ motion to hire a professional trapper brought applause from animal rights supporters and groans from residents who said coyotes had eaten their cats and dogs.

Mayor Joseph S. Barsa told the audience, which spilled into the parking lot, that he recommends all homeowners install electric fences around their properties, similar to low-shock fences used to protect cattle in rural areas.

“It’s a fine alternative,” Barsa said. “Electric fencing material is locally available and very inexpensive.” He said the cost would be about $100 per home.

Animal rights advocates had argued that the coyotes’ natural life cycle works against extermination efforts. Coyotes only breed faster when some of their number is reduced by trapping or shooting, they said.

“Eradication is not a solution,” said Jane Garrison, an animal rights advocate from Fullerton.

But many residents argued that Villa Park had become dangerous because of numerous coyotes who apparently don’t fear humans.

“I’m an individual who lost a pet in my yard,” said Leslyn Polk. “I don’t want [coyotes] in my yard. I believe coyotes have enjoyed a long and plentiful dinner, and I’d like to see it ended.”

Denes, in urging that trapping be tried, said, “It sort of struck me that with a city under siege here, I really hate not being able to relax in my own backyard.”

At the City Council meeting last month, some residents wept as they told about beloved cats and dogs being caught and eaten. They demanded trapping and extermination of coyotes.

“This is a very emotional issue for many residents who have lost pets,” City Manager Fred Maley said. “The pro-coyote people are also very concerned. The city has received quite a bit of correspondence from both sides.”

Villa Park, which with about 6,400 residents is Orange County’s smallest city, nestles near hills in central Orange County that are beginning to be developed. City officials said that development has depleted natural wildlife for the coyotes and driven more of them into Villa Park looking for food.