SF Pet Owners on Edge After 3 Dogs Killed by Coyotes in Crissy Field

Three dogs have reportedly been killed by coyotes in San Francisco’s Crissy Field this month, worrying pet owners who frequent the green space.

The predators seem to have started appearing in the area months ago, according to Martha Walters, the chair of the Crissy Field Dog Group. Walters told KQED that the group began to look into increased coyote sightings in late April. Since then, Walters has reportedly received over 100 reports from people coming into contact with coyotes.

Walters believes the coyotes might be coming from the Presidio since the Tunnel Tops, a park built over Highway 101 that connects the Presidio to Crissy Field, opened in 2022.

“To keep it in perspective, the Presidio has been a den for maybe the past like 10 years for a number of coyotes,” Walters said. “They don’t know city lines, federal lines, wherever they are, so some of them go out into the more urban areas.

“With the creation of the Tunnel Tops, it provides a direct path. You just go over from one point to the other, and you’re at Crissy Field, and the coyotes this year have discovered that,” Walters said.

In September, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area received three reports from people whose dogs were fatally attacked in the area, according to spokesperson Julian Espinoza. In August, there was a deadly coyote attack on a dog at San Francisco’s Baker Beach, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

In more than 40 years of walking at Crissy Field, Walters had never seen a coyote before this year.

“It’s terrifying,” Walters said. “A lot of people, especially at Crissy Field, come from different parts of the Bay Area, or the state, even different states. There are visitors who come there. It’s a destination point.”

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area has posted additional signage to inform people about the coyote activity and will be monitoring the area and hazing any coyotes. Espinoza also said that all three attacks occurred while the dogs were off-leash, and people who bring their pets to walk or play in the area should keep them on leash.

“It’s very important for dogs to be kept close by. While coyotes may be reluctant to approach people, they have no reservations about approaching dogs that are on their own,” Espinoza said in an email. “Right now, we’re determining what additional management actions are appropriate.”