Two hot-button animal issues have come before the Corrales Village Council in the last couple of months. On April 19, Councillor John Alsobrook held a public forum on complaints of increased coyote predation in the Village, which has led a number of victims to demand that the Council take action. Emotional testimony from residents who have lost animals was countered by two wildlife biologists who disputed claims that the coyote population has grown out of control.
Both Justin Stevens of RD Wildlife Management and Dave Parsons, retired from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said it was not biologically possible to support more than one coyote family per 7.2 square kilometers, putting the Corrales coyote population under 60 animals, rather than the hundreds claimed by some.
A second public forum is scheduled June 11 at 6:30 at City Council chambers to discuss possible solutions.
The biologists’ population estimates are supported by Corrales Animal Control. Coyote numbers did increase last year because of abundant fruit production in the Village, said officer P. “Frosty” Frostensen, but the population has since subsided, “as we predicted.”
He said a six-page document was left in their mailboxes listing incidents of coyote predation and attack, presumably collected by those who want the Village to take action. “I have never talked to any of these people,” Frostensen noted. When Animal Control does receive a report of coyote activity, officers investigate, determine whether it was a coyote, and take appropriate action, he said.
Officer Catherine Garcia added that if joggers, equestrians, and walkers are being followed or chased by coyotes in the Village, as the list reports, they have never reported it to Animal Control.
The national group Project Coyote invites the public to view a short film about peacefully coexisting with coyotes, 6:30 p.m. June 5 at the Corrales location of Flying Star. For more information contact Judy Paulsen at jpaulsen@projectcoyote.org.
A measure that would ban the tethering of dogs in the Village also has drawn sharp battle lines among animal owners. The ban was rejected by councillors on May 14, but an amended version is now before the Council that would allow temporary tethering under certain circumstances. A final vote is expected June 18.
According to Corrales Animal Control, the ordinance would impact only a handful of residents in the Village who persist in chaining their dogs despite repeat visits by Animal Control officers. These include a woman who has five dogs chained that have now turned aggressive, and a man who has an intact male dog chained 24/7 who flouts a number of other animal-care standards, such as cleaning up after his horse.
“You try to educate and get them into voluntary compliance,” Frostensen said of the outliers. “And then you go to judicial review.” A liberal judge, however, may side with the owner, leaving officers little recourse to pursue the issue further. In these cases, a change in the law would give them another tool.
A coalition of groups in Corrales is holding its annual Crosswalk Awareness Day in the Village on Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to noon. Pedestrians, bicycles, and horses gather annually on this day to remind drivers to stop and yield the right of way when people or animals are waiting to cross. The idea is to alert everyone to the location of crosswalks in Corrales, especially the ones on Corrales Road, Meadowlark, and Loma Larga.
A local Boy Scout troop will join the sponsoring groups—the Corrales Equestrian Advisory Commission, Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Safe Route to Schools Committee, Corrales Horse and Mule People, and Backcountry Horsemen—during the event.
Under New Mexico law and Corrales ordinance, right of way goes to pedestrians, equestrians, and dismounted cyclists at all intersections and designated crosswalks. While accidents are rare, police reports indicate that many drivers do not know the law.
Sweet upon a seat built for two
Albuquerque Vaulters, a nonprofit equestrian group founded by Merry Cole in Corrales, has just received significant national honors for its competition horse, BHRJohn Boy Joe.
The 15-year-old Percheron Pinto became a 2012 National Horse High Point Champion in two divisions, Preliminary Pas de Deux and Trot Pas de Deux, categories where two vaulters perform together. He was the only horse to win two of the national awards for that year.
Vaulting is an ancient acrobatic sport made up of gymnastic and dance moves on a moving horse. Both horse and riders are judged in competition. To qualify for a High Point award, a horse and its vaulters must place in an American Vaulting Association sanctioned competition.
Vaulters Olivia Salter and Copalli Quinones on the prize-winning horse John Boy Joe.
National Horse High Point is the highest national honor, and receives a perpetual prize.
Since she brought the sport to New Mexico in 1982, Cole has coached scores of young people to regional, national, and world vaulting competitions. The team competes next at the Bernalillo Sheriff's Posse on June 22 and 23; the public is invited to come watch for free.