Coyote attacks in the last few days have Barrie residents on edge after a small dog was snatched up and taken away in Sunnidale Park on Tuesday.
The owner was walking their dog at Sunnidale Park in the morning of Jan. 2 — not in the off-leash area, but walking toward it.
A coyote came out of the nearby woods and grabbed the small dog, then retreated back into the forest.
"(The owners) were obviously quite shocked," Dr. Patricia Lechten, a veterinarian at the Allandale Veterinary Hospital, told BarrieToday on Thursday.
"They got a number of people to help look for the dog, but could find no trace of it," she added.
She also described another coyote attack which occurred Wednesday and involved another one her clients and their dogs.
"They were in the same area, and their larger dogs were attacked by a coyote, but they just had some minor injuries," Lechten said.
"People sometimes feed the coyotes, thinking that will keep them away," the veterinarian added. "Coyotes are quite smart and so they understand that it’s people feeding them. And then they start to see people as positive things. They lose the fear and are more inclined to go right up to people’s yards or where people are walking."
Lechten advises letting coyotes fend for themselves and to not feed them.
"If people are walking and see a coyote watching them and their dog or children, then they are best to keep eye contact with the coyote, and to throw things — not at them but in the general area to distract it — and to back away from them," she said.
Coyotes, alone and in packs, are frequently seen there, a resident recently told BarrieToday.
Tips offered by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry say if you encounter a coyote, it's best to keep your distance and the animal will most likely avoid you.
If you encounter an aggressive animal, do not turn your back or run. Remain calm, stand tall, wave your hands, and make lots of noise while slowly backing away from them.
If a coyote or any other wild animal poses an immediate threat or danger to public safety, call 911.
Pets such as small dogs or cats can be seen as prey for the animals, and should not be left unattended outside.
Always keep your dogs on a leash.
Ministry tips on how to limit attracting coyotes to your property:
- Properly store and maintain garbage containers to help prevent coyotes from becoming a problem
- Keep pet food indoors
- Put garbage out the morning of a scheduled pickup
- Use enclosed composting bins rather than exposed piles
- Pick ripe fruit and seed from trees and remove fallen fruit from the ground
- Protect vegetable gardens with heavy-duty garden fences or place vegetable plants in a greenhouse.
