Here's an absurd story from an absurd place: Northern California. Apparently, the city of San Jose has decided to surrender to a pack of coyotes.
Residents in a gated community just outside San Jose (search) are howling mad: They say they're being terrorized by a family of coyotes (search) that has moved in, and they're getting no support from the city to get rid of them.Who wants to bet that Forrest Williams is pro-choice? Killing coyotes is bad, but killing babies is a-ok.Neighbors said the coyotes follow people home, skulk around garages and have even stalked local children. ...
In a suburban setting, coyotes like these can create a dangerous situation. But city council members voted against allowing residents to trap the coyotes out of what one council member called his deep respect for all life.
"I shouldn't just go out and just eradicate the environment, that's just not a natural state of events because we were not given the power to do that," said San Jose City Councilman Forrest Williams. "And I feel strongly about life in the sense that, from a spiritual perspective, thou shall not kill, that's just a commandment that I live by."
Next up, who wants to bet that Forrest Williams is anti-gun? It's fine for wild coyotes to prowl around a neighborhood, but can you imagine the outrage if one of the residents decided to start carrying a rifle to protect himself and his family?
Another "Why I'm glad I don't live in California" moment.
Wait until the feral pigs go to work on the landscape. Send the City a bill for anything under their protection that they will not let you abate, and the first time a coyote touches a kid, vigilante justice. For the coyote, too.
That quote from Forrest Williams is one of the most painfully inane philosophical justifications I've ever heard. Now I am sad.
And what do local ordinances say about anyone keeping a coyote, wolf, or dog-cross as a pet? I'll bet they aren't quite so philosophical.
Hey Michael, I was doing a Google search for laser tag and ended up at your site. Re: your October 12, 2004 comments about the coyotes. First of all, the area is actually within San Jose. Secondly, the coyotes are not being given any special treatment. We know that they can be a problem, and they are dealt with either by trapping or extermination if needed--as are any dangerous animals. We just want to make sure that we do it right i.e. humanely. To take shots at Councilman Williams by fantasizing about his personal beliefs on abortion and guns watered down your opinion. By the way, this end of San Jose is also known as Coyote Valley. In a city of nearly 1 million (humans) which prides itself on very low crime rates and very high livability (ok $900,000 for a 3-bedroom house is pricey), this coyote story was really insignificant. It was dealt with in a few days and largely forgotten. We've got much more exciting things to focus on--like how much more dirt will come out about Anna "finger-in-the-chili" Ayala and her lowlife husband!
Whoa--Triticale. Coyotes do NOT make good pets. They EAT dogs and cats. It's against the law to own/keep a wild animal here in San Jose. I don't believe that there are any cross-breeds of coyotes. They are not likely to mate with dogs--they're more likely to try to eat them.