Letter to the Editor: FoA Seeks to Protect New York's Coyotes From Brutal Kill-Plan

To the Editor

The Westchester Town of New Castle, New York which consists primarily of the hamlets of Chappaqua and Millwood, is considering the formal adoption of a Draconian coyote killing plan that calls for trapping/killing coyotes considered “habituated.” “This misguided, hateful idea is in response to a handful of coyote attacks on small dogs and cats over the past couple of years—all of which could be easily prevented by educating pet owners and residents,” says Edita Birnkrant, Campaigns Director for Friends of Animals.

Friends of Animal, an international animal protection organization, supports a local group, the New Castle Coyote Awareness & Safety Advisory Committee, which is fighting for coyotes to be left alone in their communities. They educate pet owners and home owners on how to live in harmony with coyotes who, as predators, serve a valuable function in keeping animals such as rodents in check. They are presenting the Coyote Safety & Coexistence Plan to the Town Board, which recommends conducting a professional Environmental Assessment, educating residents about how to live sensibly in areas that include coyotes, how to avoid conflicts, intelligent pet ownership, avoidance of feeding coyotes, or giving them access to garbage.

The anti-wildlife group, The New Castle Management Task Force will also present old-fashioned, lethal recommendations—mainly, to cruelly trap and kill coyotes. This is an uphill battle as the Town Supervisor, Robert Greenstein is already on record as favoring an aggressive, lethal approach because “coyotes are eating our pets.” Edita Birnkrant, Campaigns Director for Friends of Animals, will attend the Town Board meeting on Feb 10th at 8:15 pm to oppose the coyote killing scheme and to advance practices that educate residents and pet owners to avoid conflicts with coyotes. Clearly, all small pet dogs belong on leashes and under supervision by their owners. Cats allowed outdoors should be kept within 5-foot woven-wire fencing with extenders facing outward at the top of each post, which prevents coyotes from climbing over the fence.

More facts and prevention techniques will be available in the copies of FoA’s “Living With Coyotes” pamphlet that will be passed out to the Board and attendees, which details non-lethal, non-invasive practices for managing humanencounters with coyotes.

FoA has put the call out for residents to attend and speak at this meeting in which the fate of coyotes hang in the balance:

Tuesday, February 10th, at 8:15pm at New Castle Town Hall, 200 South Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua, New York. (Town Hall is next to the Chappaqua Metro-North train station.)

FoA is asking member and supporters who cannot attend the meeting to please write and call the Supervisor and Council Members and let them know that wildlife is important and their backward and violent coyote kill plan will not be tolerated:

Robert Greenstein, Supervisior rgreenstein@mynewcastle.org Phone: (914) 238-7281

Liza Katz, Deputy Town Supervisor lkatz@mynewcastle.org

Adam Brodsky, Councilman abrodsky@mynewcastle.org

Elise Mottel, Councilwoman emottel@mynewcastle.org

Jason Chapin, Councilman jchapin@mynewcastle.org

Edita Birnkrant

Campaigns Director

Friends of Animals

PHOTO: FriendsofAnimals.org