Today, PETA sent a letter to California Department of Fish and Wildlife Assistant Chief George Struble and Torrance City Attorney Patrick Sullivan, notifying them that city-contracted coyote trapper Jimmie Rizzo of Coyote, Wildlife & Pest Solutions Inc. has repeatedly self-reported setting snare traps near dozens of private homes in possible violation of state law, which prohibits anyone from placing a trap within 150 yards of a residence without the landowner’s written consent. The group is calling for an immediate investigation and requesting that Sullivan refer any violations to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution due to obvious conflicts of interest.

A coyote like those trapped by Rizzo. Credit: PETA

“Jimmie Rizzo’s indiscriminate assault on Torrance’s ‘song dogs’ must end now,” says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. “California’s wildlife should be respected, not slowly strangled in snares and gassed in the back of a truck.”

PETA notes that nearly 70% of snare traps don’t work as intended, as these vile traps are capable of catching any animal, including dogs permitted to run off-leash. PETA warns that area residents’ dogs and cats are at risk of being caught in these deadly snares.

At least 83 coyotes have been trapped and killed in Torrance since 2019. Snare traps are wire loops that wrap around an animal’s neck and strangle them as they struggle. If the animal doesn’t die, they endure pain and panic until a trapper arrives to gas them. In addition to being cruel, snare traps and other lethal methods are ineffective, since coyotes may move in from outlying areas as long as food sources remain available.

 PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.