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Coyotes take over abandoned WeHo construction site
West Hollywood residents are on alert after a pack of coyotes has seemingly taken over a construction site.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Residents in a West Hollywood neighborhood are on high alert after a pack of coyotes seemingly took over an abandoned construction site.
What we know:
The abandoned building is located near the corner of Romaine Street and North Spaulding Avenue, just south of Santa Monica Boulevard. The site is one of several unfinished construction projects in the West Hollywood area that residents say pose safety risks and neighborhood blight.
Neighbors report that at least three to four coyotes have been living inside the abandoned building for months, frequently waking up the neighborhood and roaming surrounding residential streets in broad daylight.
Residents also noted the situation worsened after a local well-meaningly began feeding the pack. Wildlife officials strongly advise against feeding coyotes, especially in residential areas, as it causes animals to lose their natural fear of humans. The individual has since stopped feeding them.
Residents say they have reached out to West Hollywood city officials multiple times to address both the coyote pack and the long-abandoned construction site, but no official action or deterrents have been implemented.
What they're saying:
"We've had at least two or three coyotes living out of this building for months now, so this is usually the time of day when everybody sees them. A lot of elderly people in the neighborhood with small dogs that are probably most concerning. So I know we've called the City of West Hollywood multiple times, most people have. So far so good, we haven't had anything bad happen, but they're around and they're around all the time," one local resident said.
What's next:
Residents are hoping city, county, and state wildlife officials will intervene to safely manage the local animal population and compel action on the unfinished construction site that has sat vacant for years.
The Source: This story was written with information from social media videos, reporting at the scene and interviews with local residents.