|
Q...I live in an area where the coyote population is increasing. I can see them at night near my dog kennels. What can I do to keep them away? Should I be afraid for my children or livestock? A...Before taking any specific actions toward wildlife it is important to check with your local DNR representative. They may have important information for you about why you are seeing changes in the coyotes' behavior and territory and can provide advice specific to your area and your needs. They may already be taking action to deal with it and you would not want to interfere with their activities. You will also want to know if your plans are within the law for your state. Poison, for example, is used by some government agents in some states, but is illegal in others. Poisoning coyotes has, over the years, proven to be an ineffective means of dealing with coyote populations. While it will kill some individuals, this country's history has shown that the overall population of coyotes continues to grow despite the widespread use of poison across the U.S. over many years. Poison is also extremely unfriendly to the environment as a whole. Often other species find the poisoned bait first and die from eating it. When a poisoned carcass is left in the wild (coyote or other) it is still lethal. Other species will feed on that carcass and die. Many times those other species are ones that are already endangered. For every target animal that dies by poison many other untargeted animals die from feeding on it. One source I have states, "In one year alone during the 1960's, trappers using Compound 1080 and other poisons killed not only 89,653 coyotes, but also 24,273 foxes, 20,780 lynx and bobcats, 19,052 skunks, 10,078 raccoons, 7,615 opossums, 6,941 badgers, 2,779 wolves, 842 bears, 294 mountain lions, as well as countless eagles and other birds." (Credit...Hansen, Rosanna. Wolves and Coyotes) Sometimes it is the family pet that finds and eats the poison and dies. A report from Oregon tells of a German Shepherd that ate poison put out for coyotes. (Credit...http://www.oregonlive.com/news/00/01/st011108.html) While it is legal for federal agents to use poison in Oregon, Minnesota state law prohibits the use of poison for predator control. So it is important to check your state laws and local ordinances before acting. The best way to protect your own animals is to prevent interaction between your dogs and the coyotes (or any other wildlife for that matter), and eliminate (as much as is possible) those things that draw the wildlife in. Provide good, strong, tall fences with chain link baskets to prevent digging out. Clear brush and tall grasses away from the fence line so the coyotes won't have cover if they approach the fence, and so that you won't be providing the coyotes with a small-animal hunting ground close to the fence line. Don't let your dogs run loose outside the fenced in area...day or night. Coyotes can be active day or night, although they are more active at night. Shut your dogs in after dark. Keep food indoors. Remove old bones and other waste. Keep bitches in heat indoors as much as possible. Make lots of human-type noises to remind them of your presence. Don't put food out for other wild animals. Coyotes will eat virtually anything, a characteristic that also has a good side...they are wonderful rodent control. In fact, that could be another reason for their increased presence in a particular area. If there is an increase in the rodent population there (mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, etc.) the coyotes may be preying on them and actually be doing you a favor. Using guard animals to discourage them can be effective provided you adhere to certain conditions. For example, certain breeds of dogs (Great Pyranees, Kuvacz, and others) have been widely used in other countries for centuries to deter wild canids. To be effective though, you need more than one (the number depends on the number of animals they are guarding and the size of the territory they are guarding) and they must be raised to be bonded to the animals they are protecting, not simply to be pets. And sometimes they are lost to the predators also, especially if you do not have enough of them or if they get separated from the herd and from the other guard dogs. Using guard dogs in this country has not been as successful because of the differences in the way we do things. In Europe, for example, the shepherds generally keep the herds fairly close together in smaller pastures which are easier for guard dogs to protect. In the United States, herds often are without shepherds (a human presence) and free-ranged, which makes it more difficult, even impossible for guard dogs to protect their herds from predators. Another reason trials using guard dogs failed here is because many ranchers and farmers felt the process of raising and training the guard dogs properly was too intensive and too much effort. While there are some who are using guard dogs or other guard animals successfully (usually pretty small operations), in general it has been considered a failed experiment in the United States. Coyotes will be drawn to bitches in heat, animals as prey, and food supply. Small pets are considered prey. Adult or larger dogs are considered competition and could also be prey. Changes in habitat will cause them to change or expand their territories in response. Coyotes are fascinating canids. Sometimes they are quite shy, other times quite bold and curious. Smaller than a wolf, they usually prey on smaller animals. Yet they are known to take down full-grown deer once in awhile as well as calves, so don't assume that large dogs are safe from them. They are usually afraid of people and quite shy, still anyone should be cautious around wildlife. I would not allow a young child to play alone and unsupervised where predators of any kind are known to be. But then, if I was raising a child in the city I would not let them play in traffic either. Coyotes have a looser pack structure than do wolves, so they do not stage fully-coordinated hunts like wolves do. Yet they have been observed teaming up in pairs or small groups to lure or ambush and take down prey. They are extremely adaptable which is one reason why, as people move into their territory, they don't go away. They adapt and have even extended their range across the country in spite of widespread efforts to eliminate them. And they are very smart. Wherever humans and their domestic animals live in proximity to wildlife, there will be interactions between the two and valid concerns about the possible results of those interactions. The issues are complex. When those interactions result in attacks on the family pet or livestock, it also becomes very emotional. Discussions about human / predator coexistence always comes down to a discussion about values.
Help Your Dog Beat The Heat Q...The heat really bothers my dog. I don't have air conditioning. How can I keep her cool during a hot, humid summer? A...Heat and humidity can be very hard on dogs. Some individuals suffer more than others. While some dogs seem to know that they should slow down and rest more, others will do their utmost to keep up with their human companions. As the human part of the team, it is up to you to know what your dog needs and make sure they rest and stay cool. Since your question deals primarily with the dog in the house, that is what I'll address. Without air conditioning, it is harder to provide a cool place for your dog, but it can be done using a trick well known before the days of air conditioning. You will need blocks of ice and a fan.
1. Confine the dog to a relatively small area, such as in a crate.
2. Place one or two blocks of ice (wrapped once in a kitchen towel) in shallow containers. Wrapping the ice will help slow the melting. Or just leave them in their plastic wrapper.
3. Place the blocks of ice in front of your dog. If you are using a crate you can place the blocks of ice just in front of the door of the crate.
4. Place a fan just beyond the ice so that it blows across the ice toward your dog.
5. The ice will cool the air as it blows toward your dog.
6. Replace ice as necessary.
Addison's Disease
There have been a number of inquiries lately about dogs with Addison's Disease. These inquiries have come especially from owners of giant breeds such as Saint Bernards. Once a dog is diagnosed with Addison's Disease, they will need to be on medication for the rest of their life. Veterinarian's routinely give owners of giant breeds an estimate for the medication, Fludrocortisone, of about $250.00 per month. This is for pills or an injection. For many owners, this cost is prohibitive leading them to decide they must give up their beloved pet because they are financially unable to provide this medication.
There is good news. While I cannot give medical advice on this website, I can suggest that you talk to your vet about the possibility of getting the Fludrocortisone compounded in a liquid form which is given orally. Your vet can do the compounding themselves if they are willing. The cost of the medication, Fludrocortisone, would be reduced to about $250.00 - $300.00 per year, which is a HUGE savings. Hopefully, this information will enable more owners to keep their giant dogs. For more information about Addison's Disease, please see this article on Veterinary Partners.
|
