SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Federal officials confirmed to ABC7 News on Friday they had killed a coyote responsible for killing multiple dogs in San Francisco.

They believe it also attacked multiple people.

In a statement they say, in part:

“Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Presidio Trust’s mission is to preserve the park’s natural resources and provide for public recreation. However, where serious conflict exists between people and wildlife, we all must take action to ensure public safety. On the early morning of Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, a coyote was lethally removed from Crissy Field.”

The coyote had a string of attacks over the past several weeks.

At one point, even killing at least three dogs in the span of about ten days.

The National Park Service, which runs Crissy Field, even putting signs in the area to alert people of the potential danger.

“We met with the National Park Service and we identified certain areas, especially in the East Beach area, where we think they should have better positioning. And so they did change positions of the signs and better, forceful language too,” said Martha Walters.

MORE: SF pet owners raising alarms after at least 3 dogs killed by coyotes at Crissy Field in 10 days

Walters runs the Crissy Field Dog Group.

She says over the past month, many dog owners have become fearful for their pets’ safety.

Several of them even buying protective vests and collars.

At Crissy Field, many dog owners tell ABC7 News they’re actually relieved the coyote has been culled.

Although several of them also say they still plan on remaining vigilant.

That includes Keith Roehl, who says he takes extra steps to keep his dog Belle safe.

‘I’m always concerned. I always keep my dog on a leash. You know everyone has to stay vigilant, especially at the early hours of the morning,” Roehl said.

MORE: Dog attacked, killed by pack of coyotes while walking with owner at SF beach

Others, like Marcia Volpe, say while she doesn’t want to see coyotes killed, she thinks it’s a good idea if they’re attacking people and their pets.

Volpe says she also worries about her dog Lisa.

“She’s very curious about any livestock, any animal. She has no idea of the danger. She just goes for it,” said Volpe.

Officials say before killing it, they made multiple attempts to stop the coyote from attacking others.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A file image of a coyote was used for this story

A report released by the San Francisco Animal Control and Welfare Commission accused the San Francisco Zoo of having “extremely outdated” enclosures and mismanagement.

Animal activists, animal welfare advisors, and veterinarians toured the 95-year-old popular institution. Based on their observations, the report primarily highlighted the size of the enclosures and how long they’ve gone without repairs.

“The safety measures to meet the AZA and USDA enclosure requirements are minimal and even more frightening – unsafe for the animals and visitors,” read the report.

Justin Barker, founder of the San Francisco Zoo Watch, toured the facility and expressed concerns about specific exhibits.

“SF Zoo is one of the worst-run zoos in the country,” Barker said. “All you have to do is talk to former and current staff to understand the full problem.”

Among the corners was the koala habitat. The report stated that it could only hold one Koala at a time, but the Zoo currently had three.

The report added that the jaguar exhibit should be designed to provide the highest security level, including completely encoding the top of the enclosure.

In 2007, Tatinia the tiger escaped her exhibit and killed a visitor.

The Kangaroo habitat was explicitly cited as having a lack of running water.

The SF Zoo responded and said the report had severe inaccuracies.

“As an AZA-accredited institution, we are proud of the industry-leading care and safe habitats we provide for all of our animals,” the Zoo said in a statement.

The report comes a few months after Mayor London Breed announced plans to bring pandas to the facility.

“The Mayor agrees the Zoo is in need of revitalization, which is why bringing a global attraction such as the pandas would be ideal – to expedite and invest in improvements and enhancements where necessary,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.

Barker said it would be irresponsible for the Zoo and city to proceed with a panada plan and asked that the Board of Supervisors conduct an audit.

Ahsha Safai, supervisor for District 11, agreed with Barker and said the Zoo’s owner and city must take the report seriously.

“The welfare commission asked the board of supervisors to do an audit; we’re going to do that; we need a hearing; we need to bring all the parties in a room,” Safai said.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin agreed that the Zoo needs an audit.

“I agree that a comprehensive performance audit of the San Francisco Zoo is overdue,” Peskin said.

Both Peskin and Safai are running for mayor.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums released a statement on Friday that said the Zoo’s current accreditation is based on a few-hour visit in 2022, during which its zoologist saw no significant problems.

The skies were clear, and Karl the Fog didn’t intervene to block the spectators’ view as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flew over the San Francisco Bay and its landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge,  Alcatraz Island, Salesforce Tower, and the Transamerica Building, to name a few during the annual Fleet Week event, as seen from Treasure Island in San Francisco, on Friday afternoon.

The air show and other attractions continue on Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13. For more information, check the Fleet Week schedule here.

Originally Published: October 11, 2024 at 7:47 p.m.