Ecosystems will always have predators. That’s why feral dogs are so successful in places where native predators have been eliminated. Nature always fills the gaps. When we killed the wolves in the eastern U.S., coyotes moved into the wolf’s former range. If we killed all the coyotes, the hole in the ecosystem would be filled by feral dogs— with disastrous consequences. Domestic dogs are man’s best friend, but an abused, neglected, feral, or stray dog is a much bigger threat to humans and livestock than a coyote could ever be. If you want to protect people, pets, and livestock— let the shy, nervous, relatively small coyote live in peace or we would have a much larger problem. Keep your pets and livestock contained and install motion-activated flood lights if you’re concerned.