19 Dec National Expert to Present Coyote Hazing Workshop: presentation on humane management of urban wildlife

The City of Austin, in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States and the Austin Animal Advisory Commission, will host an educational seminar Dec. 19 for Austin residents on techniques for preventing and solving conflicts with coyotes.
 
The seminar, part of a special meeting of the Animal Advisory Commission, will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St.
 
The workshop will include background on coyote ecology, what attracts coyotes into neighborhoods, and the causes of possible conflicts between coyotes, people and pets.
 
The seminar also will feature tips for protecting pets from coyotes, reducing coyote attractants in neighborhoods, and how to haze bold coyotes. Coyote hazing helps restore the fear of humans back into habituated coyotes and involves the systematic use of deterrents such as noisemakers, projectiles and water hoses to teach bold coyotes to stay away from people and pets.
 
The seminar will be presented by Lynsey White Dasher, Director of Humane Wildlife Conflict Resolution for The Humane Society of the United States.  Dasher helps urban and suburban communities across the country find effective and humane solutions to human-wildlife conflicts with species including coyotes, Canada geese, white-tailed deer and bears.
 
Her experience with coyotes includes completing research and data analysis for the Cook County Coyote project in Chicago, the largest study of urban coyotes in the country. She has also published an analysis of coyote attacks on people throughout the U.S. and Canada.
 
Prior to her work with coyotes, Dasher completed research on human-wolf conflicts for Defenders of Wildlife and international human-wildlife conflicts for the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force.
 
She obtained a Master of Science degree in conservation biology and sustainable development from the University of Maryland in 2006 and a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from Ohio State University in 2002.
 
Dasher has led coyote hazing training workshops for animal control and police officers representing more than 150 communities in the United States.
 
The presentation will be broadcast live on City of Austin’s Channel 6.