I kind of feel sorry for coyotes because the only reason why they are the way they are is because of people encroaching on them and forcing them to live in close residency to people. People's pets get picked off because they are roaming, which they really shouldn't be doing anyway, and there is no natural food available to the coyotes. In most cases, wild animals prefer their natural diet, but if the natural diet is removed they have to resort to unnatural diet and scavanging. Coyotes have learned to do this from years and years of encroachment. It is a sad and potentially scary situation for anyone
I agree. Coyotes, in their wild and natural state, will do almost anything to avoid having any contact whatsover with a human. I live in Wyoming, and we have quite a few coyotes, although not nearly so many as before people trapped them in leghold traps, poisoned them, dug pups out of burrows and drowned them, ran them to death with snowmobiles, etc.
If you love your domestic dog, admire his qualities, intelliegence and personality ... then it is more than a little hypocritcal to hate coyotes. A coyote and a domestic dog can inter-breed and have puppies together - that is how closely related they are. Coyotes act, think, react and live almost exactly like domestic dogs would, in the same situations. Coyotes are smart, funny, playful, loving parents, loyal to their pack members, shy and useful. Coyotes natural diet is mice, rabbits, lizards, etc. - not dogs and cats. I'm not saying a coyote whose territory was overrun by a new subdivision won't eat a cat or tiny dog to keep her pups from starving ... but it is NOT the norm.
If you have never seen a coyote up close, I can almost guarantee you are overestimating a coyote's size and strength. They are actually very small. The only dogs a coyote might be able to kill would be a chihuahua, yorkie, etc. - something less than ten pounds for sure.
It really, really irritates me when people who know absolutely nothing about an animal are so quick to give their almighty, always-right opinion about what that animal can or can't, will or won't do, and what should be "done with" that animal. (Before anyone gets all upset here, I'm not addressing this to anyone in particular.) Think of the root of the word "prejudice" ... PRE-judgement - judging before having the facts. Doesn't matter whether it is prejudice towards a race of humans, a breed of domestic dog, or a species of wild animal ... if you don't know what you are talking about, do some research, ask some questions and learn the facts before spouting off your opinion - which will probably be wrong.
If you are interested in learning more about coyotes, I recommend a book called "God's Dog" by Hope Ryden. She did years of research on coyotes, living near them and watching them. Very interesting, and heartbreaking book.
"We give dogs the time we can spare, the space we can spare and the love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made" - M. Facklam
"We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers - thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams."- P.S. Beagle
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king." - J.R.R. Tolkien
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