Feral/Community Cats
What do I do if I have a feral cat in my neighborhood or office area?
Please see information for assistance and helpful information on feral/community cats under our OCCATS program.
Wildlife
How do I protect my pet against coyotes and other wildlife?
According to the OC Animal Care[1], pet owners should follow the following helpful tips to discourage wildlife activity in their neighborhoods to protect their pets.
- Cats and small dogs can be easy prey for predators and should be supervised as closely as possible or kept indoors.
- Keep pet food indoors and do not leave food of any kind outside at night. Food left out at night will be taken as a welcome invitation by wildlife, and may prompt a future visit.
- Remove any fruit which has fallen to the ground.
- Store trash in covered, heavy-duty containers.
- Keep yards free from potential shelter such as thick brush and weeds, and enclose the bottoms of porches and decks.
- Eliminate garbage, debris, lumber piles, etc.
- Check fencing and try to eliminate access points to roof tops.
- Change automatic sprinkler settings regularly.
Remember, when walking your dog, always keep your dog on a leash. Coyotes have been known to approach and snatch dogs while walking with their owners even in residential areas. Also, not only is it the law in Orange County that all dogs must be on a leash in public areas but it will also give you maximum control over your pet if approached by a coyote or other wildlife animal.
What if I find a sick, injured or dead wildlife animal?
OC Animal Care will respond to situations regarding any wildlife that is sick, injured, dead (depending on contract city), or has had physical contact with a human or domestic animal. Please visit the Orange County Animal Care website for more information as well as information on a specific wildlife animal:
- Coyotes
- Mountain Lions
- Opossums
- Raccoons
- Rattlesnakes
- Skunks
- Snakes
- Urban Ducks
Birds
What do I do if I find an injured bird?
If you find an injured bird or fledgling that needs assistance, the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center has valuable information on what to do. This organization will also provide care and rehabilitation to many different species of wild birds and may be able to provide referrals to other organizations for those species they do not assist.
[1] See website for Orange County Animal Care, Field Operations, Wildlife Information, https://cms.ocgov.com/gov/occr/animal/services/wildlife.asp
