Coyotes need to be relocated from the city now: reader

To the editor:

Re: 'Encounters with coyotes rising in Taylor Creek Park,' News, Jan. 12.

I want people to stop down playing the danger of coyotes in our neighbourhood and stop trying to shift the responsibility on the public to adapt to living with these dangerous, wild animals.

Don't tell me coyotes are timid, non-confrontational and just looking for food. They are wild animals.

I was approached by a coyote on Dec. 20 at 8:30 p.m. while walking my 50-pound lab/sheppard cross on a nice night. My dog spotted the coyote across the street, I looked over and pulled my dog closer as we continued to walk away from it.

The coyote starting running across the road toward us.

I stopped walking, turned around, yelled, screamed, waved my hands/arms up and down and banged on the leash handle while running toward the coyote. The coyote retreated and as we walked away from it. The coyote again started to come at us.

We walked six feet away from it, then three feet toward it, still yelling/screaming, flaring arms up and down and totally "freaking out". The coyote did not go away, it kept coming at us.

A car finally drove down the street, headlights on it and the coyote disappeared.

It was the longest 15 minutes in my life.

Our sighting of that wolf look-a-like should be considered dangerous and unacceptable in this usually quiet part of East York. Our area is not the forests of Northern Ontario. This is a civilized, little dog-friendly neighbourhood, with a school and children.

I am now walking with whistles, horns, sticks, canes and sprays, which does not equal a pleasant walk.

The suggestion in the article of calling 311 is ridiculous. Should you call 311 and be put on hold for 10 minutes or be transferred to animal services clerk.

The comment about contacting animal services if you dog comes into contact with a coyote is ridiculous. What will animal services do? Help pay for the vet bill, funeral costs, prescriptions?

Let me remind you that in Nova Scotia a woman was killed by a coyote. Only after somebody died and got hurt was something done.

The story didn't say the number of coyotes are increasing and maybe that is why they are coming out of the ravine for food. Maybe a re-location plan of these wild animals should be started now.

I will not learn to live with them. The city needs to find money (perhaps with the money from the dog tags) to trap and relocate the coyotes before they get us.

Educating the public is one thing, but keeping us safe is the only solution.

I would like Beaches-East York Councillor Janet Davis and Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue to organize a quick re-location of these coyotes.

J. Geddes