Coyote Sightings on the Rise in Weho

There has been an increase in coyote sightings in areas of West Hollywood, Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills, the city announced Monday. As a precaution, the city of West Hollywood has notified the L.A. County Department of Weights and Measures and is urging residents to take preventive measures.

Los Angeles County Weights & Measures Department website says it works to protect the health and safety of the county's residents and improves the quality of the environment through the enforcement of federal, state and local laws and regulations.

The city released an advisory on its website warning residents of the sightings and said there is a genuine need for concern. Simple precautions can be taken to reduce risk and harm, the announcement said.

"In order to reduce the potential danger attributed to the presence of coyotes, residents are encouraged to reduce what these animals are seeking, which is primarily food and water. Residents should also keep unsupervised pets indoors and not let them roam unsupervised," it urged.

The following are recommendations and precautionary measures to help reduce the presence of coyotes:

• Keep all pet food and water dishes indoors at all times.
• Keep trash cans and containers covered and secured at all times.
• Keep dogs, cats and other family pets indoors at all times, unless supervised.

"West Hollywood is less than a half-mile away from the Hollywood Hills. These hills and foothills that range from Malibu to downtown Los Angeles are primarily wooded hills and mountainous habitat, and they are full of different kinds of wildlife in their natural habitat," the advisory said.

The city says there have been virtually no incidents of rabies reported among any coyotes caught or trapped in Los Angeles County.

For more information, call Helen Collins, senior administrative analyst for the city of West Hollywood, at (323) 848-6895.