Spanish Fort authorizes USDA wildlife agreement after resident reports of coyote attacks

After residents described pet attacks and frequent coyote sightings, the Spanish Fort City Council unanimously approved a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Wildlife Services) to provide trapping and removal of nuisance animals.

During public participation, Levi Matthews and Thomas Cost described loud vehicle noise and separate encounters with coyotes that they said threatened pets. "I sat there and listened for about a minute and a half as it broke her apart in the driveway," Thomas Cost said of a coyote attack; other residents urged the council to support trapping.

A USDA-affiliated representative explained that traps are placed in wooded areas after reconnaissance, that locations are not publicly disclosed to prevent tampering, and that trapping sites are selected to avoid attracting animals near private yards. "We don't divulge the information of where the traps are located because we don't want people messing with the traps," the representative said.

Mister Connor presented the resolution describing the cooperative agreement and said the new agreement would authorize a contractor and carry through June 2027; the council approved the measure by roll call.

Why it matters: The agreement restores an organized, intergovernmental approach to responding to nuisance-animal complaints in the city and clarifies the city's contractual approach to trapping and removal. Residents expressed both relief and concerns about transparency and safety around traps.

Next steps: The city will implement the agreement with USDA Wildlife Services and the contract period would extend through June 2027 if approved materials and execution proceed as discussed.