NEWS BRIEFS Animal services sta preview coyote plan for Lake Highlands residents
RESPONSE LEVELS The rst draft of the coyote management plan includes seven escalating instances of coyote behavior, from observation of coyotes up to human attacks. City response could vary and would correspond to the level.
BY MATT PAYNE
from observation of coyotes up to human attacks, according to the draft plan. The city would seek to further educate community members on how to coexist with coyotes throughout all levels. Killing coyotes would be considered in instances where livestock, attended pets and humans are harmed. However, the presen- tation warned that disruption of coyote family structures could lead to females breeding more coyotes in higher numbers. Humane hazing methods to instill “healthy fear” in coyotes was a strategy emphasized by city o cials. Basic hazing includes shouting, making loud noises, spraying water, shining bright lights or indirectly throwing objects near coyotes. Moving forward, Dallas Animal Services o cials are seeking to collect data on locations of coyotes throughout the city. Residents were encouraged to use the coyote hotline at 469-676-9813 whenever they observe the animals in the wild. The draft of the plan is not yet avail- able online, according to Dallas Animal Services. However, an online sighting submission form and interactive encoun- ter map are being developed for residents to use.
Classi cation
Potential response from Dallas Animal Services
Residents of the Lake Highlands neighborhood in Dallas got their rst look at a draft of the city’s developing coyote management plan on June 13. Sta with Dallas Animal Services and the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department shared details of the plan in a community meeting at the Lake Highlands North Recreation Center. City o cials have been working to address concerns following a coyote attack that occurred in the White Rock Valley area on May 3. Guiding principles behind the plan emphasize both human safety and recog- nizing the “vital role” coyotes serve in the ecosystem, according to a presentation given by Whitney Bollinger, interim assis- tant director of Dallas Animal Services. “The plan is designed to give stan- dardized guidelines on the levels of coyote behavior, to provide information on behavior management techniques and to create a clear program to reduce human-coyote con icts while prioritizing human safety,” Bollinger said. Instances of coyote behavior and corresponding city responses were classi ed into seven escalating levels,
Circumstances of attack would be reported; citations for wildlife and loose animals may be issued; lethal control may follow Education on proper livestock care and elimination of coyote attractants; lethal control may be considered Collection of information on attack circumstances; meeting and lethal control may follow Distribution of educational materials on coyote behavior when they are heard or prints are seen Education on hazing to encourage coyotes to leave Installation of signs in the area alerting residents to keep dogs on a leash and to haze coyotes Collection of information on animals involved; meeting and high-intensity hazing may follow
Observation
Sighting
Encounter
Unattended pet attack
Livestock loss
Attended pet attack
Human attack
SOURCE: DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Dallas chosen as one of 16 U.S. cities slated to host matches for 2026 FIFA World Cup
BY BROOKLYNN COOPER
Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City, New York City and San Francisco. The Dallas Sports Commission estimates a host city could yield an economic impact of $400 million and about 3,000 new jobs. In total, 16 U.S. cities will host the World Cup. The 2026 tour- nament will be the rst time the men’s World Cup will take place in North America since 1994. Representatives from the Dallas Sports Commission, FC Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys are working with FIFA o cials to nail down logistics for the matches, FC Dallas President Dan Hunt said. One of the city’s goals is to host the nals. “Other big goals are to have
as many national teams as possible come use Dallas as their home base,” Hunt said. “We’d love for one to pick Toyota Stadium and Toyota Soccer Center as a home base [in Frisco], but we also have MoneyGram Soccer Park, [Southern Methodist University and] the Cotton Bowl.” Hunt added that the Dallas team is aiming to have the International Broadcasting Centre return to its 1994 home of Fair Park. Next steps include guring out how many and what level of matches Dallas will host, although Hunt said he esti- mates the city will have at least six at AT&T Stadium.
Dallas was chosen by FIFA among its host cities for the 2026 World Cup. The decision to have Dallas host matches followed a concerted recruiting e ort by the North Texas region. The Dallas Sports Commis- sion along with players from the Dallas Cowboys and FC Dallas gathered at AT&T Discovery Dis- trict in downtown Dallas ahead of the June 16 announcement. City leaders from Dallas, Fort Worth and more also attended. The U.S. is slated to host 60 World Cup matches, with the remaining 20 being split between Canada and Mexico. Other host cities include
O cials from the Dallas Sports Commission, FC Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys marked the World Cup announcement in June.
9
LAKE HIGHLANDS LAKEWOOD EDITION • JULY 2022
Powered by FlippingBook