The Legacy Of An Urban Coyote

What a tragedy... that female coyote is absolutely gorgeous and destroying her as a rabies threat is ridiculous. Georgia has always had the most backward animal laws. We had a Bill shot down by the State's medical idiot that was to allow Bengal house cats (very slight bit of Asian Leopard in their line) but he brought up some unfounded rabies vaccine concern. Funny how most other States allow them with no problems reported. Oh well... we sure have a great education system... great national test scores... what should we expect???

I could not agree more with the statement above.

I don't understand why the coyote can't be relocated instead of euthanized?

I walk at one of the Chatahoochee parks in Roswell every morning with my dog. We have seen 2 Coyote there probably 25 times this year, they keep an eye on us, sometimes following behind at a reasonable distance but have never been the least bit threatening to me or my dog. Racoon, Possum, stray Dogs, all can have rabies, but we don't kill them. What is wrong with this state? There is a ton of open land in both North and South Georgia where this beautiful animal could live happily and do harm to no one.

More argument for my belief:

Humans are stupid. We kill each other and everything we encounter, sooner or later, directly or indirectly.

I wish I could choose some other species to be.

You know, it's stories like this one that make me sick to the very pit of my stomach.

Such a Gorgeous Animal, and an absolutely incredible shot, I'm assuming this is a photo of another animal, and not the Lady on Death Row.

I have a great love of Mother Nature and have great respect for Her. If it weren't for Her, we wouldn't be anywhere near where we are now.

We humans tend to be stupid, cruel, and petty.

No, I'm NOT a "Tree Hugger." I do however, believe there is a practical balance between Man and Nature. The sooner we find it, and work to maintain it, the better off we ALL will be.

The answer isn't necessarily more laws that serve to restrict trade, but rather public education.

This is BS. Take it out deep into the country and release it. Lets get rid of all the dogs in the news that rip little kids and old people apart, regularly.

Lynnwood wrote:

I wish I could choose some other species to be.

So so I

Is there any way that this coyote could not be euthanized? I feel this is an extremely unjust punishment.

There is no good reason to put this animal down! We're encroaching more and more on natural territories and then when they show up around us the only thing we can come up with is to kill them.

Who's the cruelest species on this planet? Homosapiens

I would like to see the coyote protected as part of the normal wildlife population. I am totally against euthanazia.
Yes, leave them alone!

why euthanize it. find a new home for it.

Wedge wrote:

<quoted text>Hey goofball Coyotes are not "natural" to Ga. any more than Polar Bears are.

They were here long before we were, we are "encroaching" on their territory..

I didn't say they were natural to Georgia.

I was making a comment in general about wildlife and our arrogance about controlling environments.

By the way...name calling is how 5-year-olds get their points across. Grow up!

Coyotes, armidillos and other creatures may not be native here, but the reality is that they are migrating due to human encroachment and loss of environemnt. Stop destroying their environment and maybe they will stay in their "native" habitats. I have lost a beloved housecat to a coyote, but I still don't think they should be euthanized. It's easy to blame the animal, but look at the root cause.... us.

If it was legal to own a coyote,I would have one now. Beautiful animal.

Why is the solution to always kill something? What a tragedy for a beautiful animal - first we take their habitat and then punish them with death because they try to adapt and find food for themselves and their offspring. Another sad commentary on the human race. Couldn't they just release her somewhere - I know GA still has remote and wild areas.

Reading this article is perfect evidence of our ignorance and now this poor animal, who animal will have to pay for it with her life just because some ignorant bigots are afraid. Nice going Georgia!!! While we're at it why not euthanize burglars for trespassing on our property or simply euthanize everyone person we fear.

to "Wedge" from AOL. Newsflash, we are not native to GA or this country either..let's euthanize ourselves starting with you!

I'm not certain I see an easy solution to this. Everyone seems quite eager to move the coyote somewhere else, but I don't hear a consensus suggesting it should continue to roam Decatur. I feel relativley confident that people living in the communities it would be moved to have the same opinion, and moving it to a rural area where there is any poultry industry would be tantamount to euthanasia (but probably not quite as humanely).
The truth of the matter is Coyote's are not native species to Georgia, but despite a century of culling 100s of thousands of them every year they have thrived and expanded their home range. This is probably mostly due to our destruction of another species, the wolf, which acted as a natural predator to coyotes. I'm relativley certain no one is suggesting we introduce a wolf to Decatur though.
These animals do pose a risk of rabies due to spillover from another well adapted species of the suburban habitat, raccoons. Quite a few rabid coyotes are reported each year in the US, 1-2 each year in Georgia, usualy involving fierce attacks towards any human or animal bystanders in the vicinity.
Ultimatly, it is a shame when any wildlife animal has to be put down, but this is a species without a natural predator and a booming population nationwide. Lets not confuse it with a rare endagered species. Sure humans have altered the natural habitat, but I don't think anyone is suggesting we burn down our cities and let nature take everything back. Nature adapts, and coyotes are some of the best adapters in nature. Circle of life, simba.