City seeks help dealing with coyotes, hybrids
Cindy Murray was watering her flowers at her Port Dalhousie home when she spotted what was believed to be a large coywolf standing less than 10 feet away.
Despite shouting and spraying the water hose, she said the animal was in no rush to move.
Last week, she said a growling coywolf blocked her adult son from entering the house for more than 15 minutes in a terrifying confrontation. That same week, her gardener was mowing the lawn when he was chased by a coywolf who came up behind him.
“Over the last two years the coywolf population has increased, where they are now on our lawn morning, noon and night,” she told city councillors this week, urging them to help residents living in the Philpark and Ziraldo roads area.
Murray described a neighbourhood on Martindale Pond that’s being terrorized by a pack of eight coywolves — a cross between a coyote and a wolf.
She came to Monday’s council meeting armed with photos taken over the past two weeks by neighbours and herself, including one of what looks like a coywolf ripping apart a small animal believed to be someone’s cat or a raccoon.
She said it’s only a matter of time before one attacks a human.
“We want and need your help to protect our children, our pets and ourselves,” Murray said. “Active intervention is required.”
City council unanimously passed a motion by Port Dalhousie Coun. Carlos Garcia asking staff to work with the Ministry of
Natural Resources — and any other organizations that may have appropriate expertise such as Coyote Watch Canada — to take immediate action to mitigate the threat to residents without harming the wildlife population.
Staff were asked to report back to council in September with options and a plan to deal with the issue, including costs to implement it.
“I’ve been getting emails about this problem for probably five years but it’s been getting worse and worse,” Garcia said. “They seem to be particularly around ponds and the lake.”
Garcia said Niagara Region Animal Services, an offshoot of Lincoln County Humane Society, only deals with wildlife it if is injured. The jurisdiction falls to the ministry.
“I don’t think we’re asking to harm the wildlife but we have to do something to help the residents that are having this problem and, hopefully, MNR will come with some solutions,” Garcia said.
Sightings are being reported particularly in the Jaycee and Westcliffe Park areas, but other councillors said they’re dealing with coyotes or coywolves in their wards, too.
Grantham Coun. Dawn Dodge said pets have been killed in her north end ward and fellow ward Coun. Bill Phillips said he’s received reports of coyotes in Malcomson Park and areas near Twelve Mile Creek.
Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson said he hoped that asking for a report by next month reflects the urgency of the situation and the city can get a solution quickly.
“We need to develop an appropriate policy to deal with it because it’s a problem co-existing with urban wildlife,” he said. “There’s a legitimate fear out there.”
The Ministry of Natural Resources has said coyotes are an abundant species and live through most of Ontario. They generally avoid humans but can lose their fear if they learn to associate people with easily available food.
Other communities are dealing with coyote issues. This past June, a Grimsby teen reported being bitten by a coyote after numerous spring sightings in the town.