How to Help Starving Coyotes

Seeing wild animals suffering can be heartrending, and deciding whether or not to help is a difficult decision. The sight of starving coyotes means local populations have lost an important food source, which could be from increased hunting or trapping of their prey by humans, habitat destruction, a disease striking a prey animal or even something as simple as large numbers of people turning to animal-proof garbage cans. Long-term action should be left to professionals. Generally, it is best not to feed wild animals at all, but sometimes this is easier said than done when you see animals starving.

Things You'll Need

  • Work gloves
  • Dog kibble
  • Vehicle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Contact the nearest branch of the Humane Society or the American Society for the Protection of Animals before you do anything else. Describe the situation in detail; include the condition of the coyotes (how thin they are, how many you've seen and whether there were any pups). Such charities can provide advice and assistance appropriate to the situation. If it is necessary to shoot the coyotes to prevent suffering, they can advise. Don't take such action on yourself.

    • 2

      Provide emergency food, if you feel you must. It is best to collect natural food and the simplest way, which won't interfere with local ecosystems, is to collect road kill. Otherwise, you could leave out dog kibble. Always choose a site well away from homes. Never toss food directly to the animals, as this will encourage begging behavior, putting them at risk and causing a nuisance to people.

    • 3

      Make a lot of noise before depositing the food, check there are no coyotes nearby, place the food on the ground and leave. Do not let the coyotes learn to approach people. This is dangerous to them and potentially dangerous to people. Humans and coyotes live side by side but not always amicably. Most people won't react well to coyotes approaching them for food, and hungry animals are unpredictable.