Readers React: Coyotes have become a dangerous nuisance, and L.A. isn’t doing enough

To the editor: The decision of Huntington Beach officials to adopt a scaled response to coyote-related incidents in that city stands in stark contrast to the stubborn inaction of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services. (“Huntington Beach gets tougher with coyotes and could trap and kill animals who attack,” Dec. 23)

While the Huntington Beach program was adopted solely in response to coyote attacks on pets and increased sightings, over the past year there have been multiple coyote attacks on humans in the city of Los Angeles, including some in Elysian Park. Still, Los Angeles Animal Services, as it has for decades, insists that its sole responsibility is to teach citizens how to fend for themselves.

It is time for the department to acknowledge and respond to a new reality: Coyotes have become a public safety threat in Los Angeles, and the public cannot and should not be forced to shoulder all responsibility for dealing with that threat.

Mark Steinberg, Los Angeles

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