Animal Law Review
First Page
249
Abstract
As city sprawl spreads into less-developed rural regions, these new residents enjoy living close to nature but also put their pets and children at risk of encountering dangerous wildlife, such as coyotes. Cities have a variety of options, legal and otherwise, to regulate human and coyote behavior in order to reduce conflict. This Article analyzes the situation in the cities of Chino Hills and Yorba Linda, two southern California communities on the edge of Chino Hills State Park that have received local media attention for human–coyote interactions. Growing cities can use zoning to separate coyotes from humans and avoid drawing coyotes into cities, but land-use planners will be limited due to existing uses and possible takings claims from landowners. Cities can regulate the human behavior that draws coyotes into a city, or they can regulate the coyotes themselves through relocation, hazing, or hunting. This Article concludes by encouraging municipalities to use their police power to take early action, therefore preventing coyotes from habituating to humans by regulating human behavior and city development and also adopting coyote management plans that educate their citizens.
Recommended Citation
Joseph Simpson,
Extra! Extra! New Housing Developments Lead Coyotes to Homelessness and Violence with Humans,
22
Animal L. Rev.
249
(2016).
Available at:
https://lawcommons.lclark.edu/alr/vol22/iss2/4