The Seal Beach City Council on Monday voted to authorize the trapping and euthanizing of coyotes amid complaints about dozens of recent attacks on pets in the area.
Residents whose animals have been victimized by the predators held a vigil outside City Hall before expressing their concerns at an emotional council meeting.
Among those who attended the memorial ceremony was Vicki Young, who said her beloved dog was fatally attacked on Sept. 1.
“I haven’t gotten over it and I’m not sure that I will, because she was my constant companion,” said Young, describing the incident that occurred inside her home at Leisure World, a senior community, after she took out the trash.
“When I turned around, the coyote had her in his mouth and he was running out the door,” she said. “She died. He ate her.”
Inside the council chambers, other pet owners addressed city officials and recounted similar attacks.
“They picked a 9-pound dog out of her dog run and jumped over the fence with her,” said one woman. “My neighbors found her remains three houses down, so we know that she was attacked by a coyote.”
Some residents said they have attempted to confront the problem by implementing educational methods but the coyotes have become too brazen.
“I’m for trapping them,” Councilman Gary Miller, who voted in favor of the measure, said to applause. “I think the people have suffered long enough.”
Officials said they would work with leaders of nearby cities in an effort to regionalize the plan.
Correction: An earlier version of this report gave an erroneous spelling of Vicki Young’s first name. The article has been updated to reflect the proper spelling.
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