Coyotes

I don't exercise a lot, but I like to walk Lulu around the neighborhood, usually about 4 blocks. We both enjoy it. I like to go in early evening when it's not as hot as during the daytime.

We have not walked around much the last few weeks because of other things going on, but now we are all home and I wanted to get back to our weekly walks.
But...La Mirada is having a pretty big problem with coyotes running loose around the parks, the canals etc. They are craving water and food.
There's been stories of coyotes getting into people's backyards (they can jump 6-7' fences) and grab and kill cats, and small dogs.
In my "Next door" app, a woman wrote about her little dog being attacked by a coyote as they were going for a walk. They live a few blocks from us. The dog survived but so far they have over $7000.00 in vet bills.

About 2 weeks ago, Lulu was barking her head off and I looked outside, and I saw 2 Mexican guys with a long rope, one of the guys was in my front lawn. I wondered what was going on, then I saw a big "dog" running from my neighbors driveway towards the street, the guys ran after him, one of them made a lasso and was trying to catch it. Last I saw them they were running down the street. I thought it was quite a large dog.
Next day I read that 2 coyotes were on the grounds of the middle school down the street for me (no kids, it's summer break) I think the men I saw were custodians in the school that were trying to catch one of the coyotes.  That scared me.

So now I go outside with Lulu on a leash, and when she goes in the back I am watching her. I don't think we'll be walking much until the coyotes decide to go back wherever it is they came from. I was telling this to my friend Norbert and he said there was a coyote at his neighbors backyard (the Santa Ana river canal flows to the ocean just a few blocks away).

The coyote appears often in the tales and traditions of Native Americans—usually as a very savvy and clever beast. Modern coyotes have displayed their cleverness by adapting to the changing American landscape. These members of the dog family once lived primarily in open prairies and deserts, but now roam the continent's forests and mountains. They have even colonized cities like Los Angeles. Coyote populations are likely at an all-time high.

These adaptable animals will eat almost anything.