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Learning to live with animal is more effective, humane

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Letters | COYOTE CONCERNS

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

December 20, 2011|By

RE “RESIDENTS see trouble in coyotes’’ (Globe West, Dec. 11): Changing the trapping law will not effectively address Brookline residents’ concerns. The Globe’s November editorial about concerns about coyotes in Newton and other suburbs noted that nearby towns have minimized conflicts with the animals.

“More humane devices called body-holding traps,’’ under consideration in a bill on Beacon Hill, do not exist; despite the name, these are legholds with plastic on the jaws. The current trapping bill would repeal the restrictions on all inhumane body-gripping traps. State health officials can use them in emergencies, but these traps also catch non-target wildlife and pets. More humane box traps can catch problem animals and allow others to be released unharmed.

We often unknowingly invite wild animals into our yards and homes by providing easy access to basic needs, such as food, water, and shelter. To reduce conflicts, don’t feed wild animals, eliminate access to buildings, and supervise small pets when outdoors.

Since coyotes arrived in Massachusetts, incidents with people have been extremely rare. Natural coyote behavior involves preying on small animals, but they do not prey on people; the fear that coyotes will move “up the food chain’’ to young children, as one parent expresses it, is unfounded.

Killing coyotes doesn’t work; we’ve done so for decades, and they’ve increased their population and range. Learning to live with them is a more effective and humane way to minimize conflicts.

Linda Huebner