Mail Service Suspended in Carson Neighborhood Due to Coyote Encounters

USPS cites safety concerns after recent coyote attacks in the area

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:04am

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph of a blurred residential street scene with a USPS mail truck in the distance and a faint coyote silhouette in the foreground, conceptually illustrating the disruption to mail delivery caused by coyote encounters in the area.As coyote encounters disrupt mail service in a Carson neighborhood, the community grapples with the challenges of urban wildlife and the impact on critical public infrastructure.Carson Today

Mail delivery service has been completely stopped in one Carson neighborhood due to an increase in coyote encounters in the area, according to local residents. The United States Postal Service has suspended service indefinitely, citing safety concerns, despite residents claiming there are no issues with animals on their properties.

Why it matters

This disruption in mail service highlights the growing challenges communities face with wildlife encroachment, especially in urban areas. It also raises questions about how USPS handles safety concerns and communicates with residents when suspending critical public services.

The details

After a series of at least four coyote attacks in the Carson area in recent weeks, three of which involved children, the USPS has suspended mail delivery on Moneta Avenue. Residents say they received letters citing safety concerns over a dog on their property, but they insist they do not own any dogs. USPS officials later admitted the letters were mistaken and were actually about coyote sightings, not dogs. However, the mail service remains suspended until the issue is resolved, leaving residents frustrated and facing potential costs to hire private pest control.

  • In recent weeks, there have been at least four coyote attacks in the Carson area, three of which involved children.
  • After the attacks, California Department of Fish & Wildlife officials captured and euthanized a coyote connected to three of the incidents.

The players

Mike Bunnell

A 73-year-old resident of Moneta Avenue who was surprised to receive a letter from USPS citing safety concerns over a dog on his property, which he says he does not own.

Tom Williams

A longtime resident of Moneta Avenue who received the same notice from USPS and is frustrated by the inconvenience and potential costs of resolving the issue.

United States Postal Service (USPS)

The federal agency responsible for mail delivery that has suspended service in the Moneta Avenue neighborhood of Carson due to concerns over coyote encounters.

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What they’re saying

“Where's my mail?”

— Mike Bunnell, Resident

“There's no dog here. Not mine, I don't own a dog. This never happened.”

— Mike Bunnell, Resident

“They said they made a mistake, it wasn't supposed to be a dog letter, it was supposed to be a coyote letter, and I said I haven't seen any coyotes either.”

— Mike Bunnell, Resident

“They're holding us responsible for wild animals in the community here.”

— Tom Williams, Resident

“So we're going to have to pay a private pest control person to come out, four-five hundred dollars, up to a few thousand dollars, maybe more. And even if there was one that was caught, how do you know that was the one that was here? What is it going to take to get our mail back?”

— Tom Williams, Resident

What’s next

USPS officials said that residents can continue to pick up their mail at their local post office until the issue is resolved. The agency has not provided a timeline for when mail delivery may resume on Moneta Avenue.

The takeaway

This disruption in mail service highlights the growing challenges communities face with wildlife encroachment, especially in urban areas. It also raises questions about how USPS handles safety concerns and communicates with residents when suspending critical public services, as well as the potential financial burden placed on residents to resolve the issue.