Full Notification

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced today that the responsible coyote in the attacks in both Moraga and Lafayette was caught and euthanized yesterday morning.  DNA testing was conducted which matched the DNA recovered from the bite victims.  U.C. Davis veterinary staff will be conducting a rabies test on the coyote. There is no current evidence to suggest the coyote is rabid, but because of the severity of the disease, it is standard operating procedure in an animal attack investigation such as this one. Rabies tests can only be done post-mortem.
 
There has been a constant effort by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Wildlife Services, the Moraga and Lafayette Police Departments and Contra Costa County Animal Services to locate and catch the offending coyote.  The Town of Moraga is grateful for their hard work on behalf of our Town and the safety of our residents and visitors.  The Town is also appreciative of the work of our residents to report coyotes in our neighborhoods.  This information was critical in our success.  The Town will be working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife in the future to bring one of their community wildlife awareness programs to Moraga.

These animals will continue to live in and around our communities.  Anyone who is interested in obtaining more information about these animals and living around them can go to www.keepmewild.org where there are helpful tips on how we can all better coexist with coyotes and other wild animals around us.

Any questions or concerns can be directed to the Moraga Police at 925-888-7055, ext. 0 or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 916-508-7095.