City launches a new way to report coyote sightings
SEAL BEACH POLICE
The Seal Beach Police Department and Seal Beach Animal Control have launched a new coyote reporting portal at www.sealbeachca.gov/coyote,
giving residents a fast, datadriven way to log sightings, encounters and aggressive behavior.
Reports feed directly to Animal Control Officers (ACOs) and SBPD personnel, allowing staff to map hot spots, track trends and deploy education or enforcement resources where they’re needed most.
For on-the-go convenience, the same reporting form is now live in the city’s MySealBeach app, available free of charge on both major platforms:
• Apple App Store: https:// shorturl.at/lPkiQ
• Google Play:https://shorturl. at/i9I7s Why Reporting Matters— but Sightings Alone Aren’t Bad Wildlife biologists at Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) stress that coyotes are important urban predators that keep rodent and rabbit populations in check. Seeing a healthy coyote at a respectful distance is a sign of a balanced ecosystem, not a crisis. Problems arise only when food attractants (overflowing trash, outdoor pet food) or intentional feeding break down the animal’s natural fear of humans.
Attempting to trap or relocate “nuisance” coyotes often worsens conflicts: removing an alpha pair leaves a vacancy that transient coyotes fill, breed earlier, and produce larger litters. Smart coexistence built on good hazing and attractant removal keeps everyone safer. Safe Hazing: How to Move a Coyote Along
• Be Big and Loud: Stand tall, wave arms, clap, shout, blow a whistle, or use an air horn.
• Throw Small Objects: Toss tennis balls, pebbles, or sticks toward (not at the head of) the coyote; squirt water or a vinegar-water mix.
• Maintain Eye Contact and Back Away Slowly: Never turn your back or run.
• Vary Your Tools: Rotate noisemakers so coyotes don’t get used to one deterrent.
• Finish the Job: Continue until the coyote fully retreats.
• Know When to Stop: If the animal appears sick or trapped, give it space and call Seal Beach Animal Control instead of hazing.
• Protect Pets: Pick up small dogs; keep larger pets leashed.
Additional Prevention Tips
• Secure trash in lidded cans; remove fallen fruit.
• Keep cats indoors (especially at night) and dogs on short leashes.
• Never feed coyotes—intentional or accidental.
Who to Contact
• If a coyote is actively attacking or poised to attack a person, treat it as an immediate threat and dial 9-1-1 at once.
• When the situation is urgent but not life-threatening— for example, a coyote is stalking pets, refusing to retreat after you haze it, or you witness someone intentionally feeding or harassing coyotes—call SBPD’s 24hour nonemergency dispatch line at 562-594-7232.
• For all routine sightings where the animal keeps its distance, den locations or attractants such as unsecured trash cans, submit a report at sealbeachca. gov/ coyote or through the MySealBeach app.
Or call Seal Beach Animal Control at 562-799-4100, ext. 1606, or email animalcontrol@sealbeachca.gov.
Remember: a lone coyote passing through is usually just doing its job—document it online and let it move along.
For more information, follow the SBPD on social media @sealbeachpolice. —from a SBPD press release
