JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Jefferson Parish officials have partnered with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to host informational sessions surrounding coyote management.
The meetings will provide information about how Jefferson Parish has assembled a multi-department strike team to discuss the coyote population and the threat they’ve had on people and pets.
There will also be discussions on what residents can do to keep coyotes away from their neighborhoods.
Officials have offered tips to deter coyotes from residential areas such as:
- Residents should feed pets and store their pet’s food indoors
- Do not allow pets to run loose outdoors
- Store garbage cans in a garage or secure them to prevent tampering
- Trim all shrubs and remove any fruit that may have fallen from a tree
Another solution offered to rid the coyotes is to haze them. The act of hazing is said to help maintain a coyote’s fear of humans and keep them away from the yards. Anyone needing tips on how to haze the coyotes can visit The Humane Society of The United States website.
Officials claim coyotes have become more common in urban areas due to the increase of land development and food availability. According to the LDWF, coyotes tend to look for food in garbage cans and gardens and seek shelter under decks, sheds, thick brush or hollow trees.
The first of two meetings will be held on Tuesday, August 8 at the Jefferson Parish General Government Building in Gretna in the second-floor chambers. The second will be Wednesday, August 9 at the Joseph S. Yenni Building in Harahan in the 2nd Floor Council Chambers.
Both meetings will start at 6 p.m. and end at 7 p.m.
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