A young female coyote is back in the wild after a rescue near Suisun Valley Road in Fairfield. A worker in the area heard the animal crying and alerted the Solano Wildlife Rescue and Education Center to the situation.
Upon arrival, staff found the coyote caught in a steel-jaw leghold trap. Dr. Chen, the group's veterinarian, treated the animal for its injuries. Following a full recovery, the coyote was released back into its natural habitat.
Steel-jaw leghold traps and other body-gripping devices are illegal in California. Voters banned these specific methods through the passage of Proposition 4 in 1998 to protect wildlife from cruel and unnecessary harm.
Local authorities request that anyone who discovers such traps in the wilderness report the location immediately. You can contact the Department of Fish and Wildlife's CALTIP hotline at 888-334-2258 or send a tip by texting CALTIP to 847411. Public reports are vital to enforcing existing wildlife protection laws.