Meet sweet Mason, a five-year-old domestic cat that survived a local coyote attack. Mason was brought to the Newport Beach Animal Shelter with bite wounds to his neck.
Shelter staff and volunteers lovingly cared for Mason until he was adopted into a new forever home.
Coyote attacks are unfortunately all too common in our community. Coyotes are comfortable living in close proximity to humans and are regularly encountered by walkers, joggers and bikers. They are skilled predators and roam residential neighborhoods at all hours of the day seeking out household pets.
You can take special precautions to protect your animals. Cats, small dogs and other small pets should not be allowed outside alone or off leash, even in a fenced yard. Store trash in heavy, lidded containers. Eliminate potential food and water sources, such as fallen fruit and standing water. And, of course, never feed coyotes.
If coyotes begin frequenting your neighborhood, make them unwelcome. Stand tall and shout, wave your arms or use “shaker” cans filled with marbles or pennies to ward them off.
For more information call Newport Beach Animal Control at (949) 644-3717 or visit www.nbpd.org/community/animal_control/coyote_information.asp.
