Animals and Pets

Coyotes live in cities throughout North America. It is typical to see a coyote in a park, ravine, other green space and even on your street, at any time of the day or night during all the seasons. Coyotes have adapted very well to life in the city. Food and shelter are plentiful and natural predators are limited, so these animals will continue to live near us.

• NEVER feed coyotes, either deliberately or inadvertently. Ensure all food you may have with you (human snacks or dog treats) are packed away securely
• Keep your dog close to you and on a leash, especially in areas where coyotes are known to live. In an off-leash area, ensure your dog will come to you when called and stand or walk with other people who also have dogs
• Be aware of your surroundings and what your dog is doing
• Don’t let your dog chase or play with a coyote
• Don’t walk your dog in ravine habitats, especially in the spring when coyotes have pups

When coyotes come too close

• Maintain eye contact with the coyote
• Ensure your dog is leashed and behind you. Pick up your small dog
• Do not run; use aversion techniques to scare the coyote away
• If the coyote doesn’t leave, you may be near its den or food source. Do not run; back away slowly while maintaining eye contact and leave the area

Aversion techniques

• Assertively open and close an umbrella or snap open a large plastic garbage bag – these sights and sounds can be scary to a coyote. (Garbage bags are light weight and easy to carry with you on your walks)
• Wave your arms above your head, maintain eye contact and loudly say “Go away coyote!”
• Keep doing this until the coyote leaves
• Carry and use a whistle or other noise maker and throw objects in the coyote’s direction to scare it away. NEVER hit or injure a coyote with an object

Coyotes around your house

Coyotes may be near or at your house because there is a nearby food source – maybe even on your own property.

NEVER feed a coyote. Deliberate feeding of coyotes is an irresponsible activity that causes coyotes to adapt more easily to living and foraging for food around houses and yards. There are many different natural food sources for coyotes in the city such as rats and other small rodents, fruit and insects. Coyotes do not require that food be provided to them by people.

Normal urban coyote behaviour

• Active during all four seasons and during the day and night
• Watching or following you and your dog from a comfortable distance – coyotes are very curious
• Sitting somewhere in plain view or relaxing or playing in a field or park, either alone or with other coyotes
• Walking and ignoring you. It’s natural to see coyotes walking on a road or sidewalk in a neighbourhood.
• Hunting
• Yipping and howling
• Hesitating and looking back when you’re trying to scare it away. (Keep scaring the coyote until it leaves)

Skunks are burrowing animals that, despite being timid, adapt surprisingly well to living among humans in urban areas. They are not skilled climbers, so homeowners don’t need to fear them getting into attics and chimneys. However, they will make dens under porches, decks, and sheds by digging as deep as a foot down. 

Why do I have skunks?

In urban settings, they have adapted to living near humans and raid trash cans, gardens, outdoor pet food, and compost piles for food.

Skunks eat almost anything. In the wild, their diets include rodents, eggs, insects, worms, and plants. City-dwelling skunks feed on trash, fruits and vegetables from home gardens, grubs found in residential lawns, and small animals like mice and squirrels. 

Municipal Enforcement do not remove skunks from your property.