Another person in Burlington was bitten by a coyote, bringing the number of attacks involving dogs in that city to seven.
City officials reported the latest assault in a news release Sunday, saying it happened at a home on Lakeshore Road near Tuck Creek around noon Saturday.
They said a person was resting in the backyard when a coyote bit her on the knee. She was later taken to hospital for treatment.
The city said the smaller, sandy-colored coyote involved in the “unprovoked” attack is believed to be the same dog responsible for the sixth incident. This attack took place on September 10 at a nursing home where an elderly resident was injured.
The resident was sitting on their front yard resting when she was awakened by a coyote biting her on the thigh. She was taken to hospital for treatment.
That prompted the city to activate its crisis management team to deal with the incidents, which were first reported last month. One of the victims was a two-year-old boy who was on a backyard deck when a coyote grabbed him by the neck and tried to drag him away.
The city said the group of incidents were the first recorded attacks on people in Burlington, calling them “uncharacteristic.” In light of the attacks last month, the city even offered residents coyote whistles to help them “fog” any canines they might encounter, hoping to restore the animals’ fear of humans.
The city said efforts to hunt and exterminate the coyotes are ongoing.
“City of Burlington Animal Services officers conduct ongoing joint operations with the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) and Certified Wildlife Control Professional in attack areas to track and eliminate coyotes. Residents can see this multi-agency task force in their neighborhood and it is critical that residents do not interfere with these operations,” the city said in a statement.
“The increasing challenge is that coyotes no longer lie down at this time of year and are more mobile.”
Although the coyote responsible for the first three attacks has been “eliminated,” officials said those involved in the latest incidents are believed to come from “a family of aggressive coyotes in south-central Burlington.”
The city is eyeing areas in south-central Burlington where several neglected properties are located and could be an ideal den for aggressive coyotes.
Experts from the Department of Natural Resources and Forestry, who met with Burlington officials this week to discuss the situation, believe the attacks stem from coyotes being “conditioned to view humans as a food source,” said the city.
“This learned behavior creates an environment where wildlife is conditioned to feel comfortable with direct human interaction and may become dependent on humans for food,” the city added, urging residents not to feed wildlife.
“Once a coyote has crossed the line of acceptable human interaction, the coyote must be eliminated for public safety reasons, due to a situation it did not initiate.”
The City asks that anyone attacked by a coyote seek immediate medical attention and report the incident to the Halton Regional Health Department and City Animal Services at 905-335-3030 or animalservices@burlington.ca.
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