DOGS ARE COYOTE FOOD–Renee Merrill of Newbury Park posted coyote warning signs throughout her neighborhood of Dutch Haven. She lost her Pomeranian, Zeus, from a coyote attack in her yard last April. At least seven pets in her neighborhood have been attacked or killed by coyotes in the past two weeks during daytime, she said. City officials have recommended shooting at coyotes with paintballs to deter them and to teach them not to be comfortable around people. Residents are advised to get out their paintball guns and start shooting coyotes that are threatening their pets and possibly their children.

“Shooting coyotes with paintballs is the right thing to do. It marks the animal,” said city senior analyst Greg Smith.

Marking with paintballs is also recommended by California Wildlife Fish and Game spokesperson Harry Morse. Doing so deters coyotes from becoming comfortable around people.

Those who are concerned about aggressive coyotes in their neighborhoods will get no assistance from the city unless a human is injured, Smith said.

“Once a human being is bitten or scratched, we will call Fish and Wildlife and follow state guidelines,” Smith said.

“To the best of my knowledge, no human has been attacked,” Mayor Dennis Gillette said.

When he was pet-sitting a 65- pound shepherd for one of his grown children, he said, he would not let the dog out of the house unless it was on a leash. Staying close to pets is the key, he said.

“I know it’s difficult, but don’t leave small pets unattended,” Gillette said.

The city’s website advises those worried about a dangerous animal such as a mountain lion or a coyote on their property to call the Agoura Animal Shelter at (818) 991-0071.

Some may feel that’s the beginning of a wild goose chase, because a customer service person at that number puts callers in touch with the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commission, which does not serve Thousand Oaks or any part of Ventura County.

The L.A. County Agricultural Commission has a coyote removal program that uses snares to catch the coyote, which is then euthanized. It’s against the law to relocate coyotes, said Ken Pellman, spokesperson for the county agricultural commission.

Ventura County has no such program, but the L.A. County program contracts out its services to cities with aggressive coyotes.

In a Jan. 7 report to City Manager Scott Mitnick, Smith said the cost of those services for coyote removal “is on a time and materials basis and can therefore be expensive.”

The city is reluctant to kill coyotes, described as a part of the area’s circle of life, Smith said.

“We need coyotes. They perform a service. They keep rodent populations in check,” Pellman said.

Many people love coyotes and are quick to point out the animals were here before we were, he said.

But the wily critters are not a protected species. Although coyotes cannot legally be caught with leg traps or killed with certain poisons, Pellman said, the humane extermination of coyotes is as legal as getting rid of rats.

He said coyotes that roam neighborhoods during the day and take pets out of backyards when people are present are a problem.

“They show aggression when they do not stay away from people. They become a danger when they are not afraid of people,” Pellman said.

His office was created in the late 1970s after the death of a child, he said.

“Children should always be watched. A child should never be left alone where coyotes have been trained to get food from people,” Pellman said.

“By their nature, coyotes are adaptable animals, and their numbers are steady or increasing in areas like Thousand Oaks, where they are not subject to hunting, trapping or other means of predator control,” Smith said in the report to Mitnick.

Smith, a biologist, recommends keeping unaccompanied animals inside, not leaving pet food outside and using scare tactics to chase off coyotes. Throwing objects and shouting are suggested.

Those who provide food to coyotes intentionally or accidentally add to the problem. Trash cans should be secured indoors, if necessary, to keep coyotes away. Fruit should be picked up from under trees so as not to attract rodents and coyotes.

Bird feeders attract more than birds. Rodents come and eat the food, and coyotes come into yards to eat the rodents or whatever else looks tasty and easy to catch.