It’s coyote pup season

Keep a safe distance from wild animals and their dens or nests

It’s pup season, which means you may see more young coyotes in the community. Although you may be tempted to approach them out of curiosity or to take a picture, the City of Vaughan is reminding everyone to keep a safe distance from urban wildlife and their habitats.  

Going near dens is not safe for you or the animals living in them. It is illegal to disturb or cause distress to wildlife and is subject to a $900 fine.

Coyotes typically give birth between April and May, with the average litter size around four to seven pups. Family size varies depending on habitat, available food sources and human impact. Sightings and encounters with coyotes normally increase in the spring while they are protecting their den.

Coyote sightings are common and should not be cause for alarm. The City understands their presence can become a challenge in residential areas and can also seem intimidating to some people.

If you encounter a coyote, keep your distance and keep pets on a short leash. If a coyote approaches you directly:

• stop: pick up children and small pets, if necessary.
• stand your ground: never run from a coyote, fox or domestic dog.
• make yourself big: wave your hands above your head.
• be loud and assertive: shout, stomp your feet and clap your hands.
• use a noisemaker: it could be your voice, pots and pans banged together, a shaker can (such as a pop can filled with pebbles), a plastic bag (snap it around), or an umbrella popping open and closed.
• slowly back away: be assertive as you leave so the animal knows it is not welcome.

The City’s Coyote Response and Coexistence Strategy (PDF) outlines response efforts as well as what residents can do to help avoid or reduce interactions with coyotes. The actions outlined in this strategy are designed to increase your knowledge and understanding of how coyotes behave and how to manage their behaviour to reduce or eliminate conflicts.

Here are some other tips to safely cohabitate with urban wildlife.

Never feed wildlife

Directly or unintentionally feeding a wild animal will increase its tolerance to people and pets. The City discourages bird feeders as they attract small mammals, which encourage larger wild animals to visit your yard. Feeding animals or leaving food items in parks to attract wildlife is subject to a $500 fine.

Be a responsible pet owner

Always keep dogs on leashes when outdoors and keep cats indoors or in a secure outdoor enclosure. Free-roaming pets are vulnerable to many dangers. Almost all conflicts between wildlife and domestic dogs occur when dogs are off-leash.

Do not invite unwanted houseguests

Keep your home properly sealed so wildlife stays outdoors. Remove attractants by picking up dog feces, cleaning outdoor grills and securing recycling and compost bins. Put waste out the morning of collection days, rather than leaving it at the curb overnight. Collect and store bins and any uncollected garbage on the same day.

To report a sick or injured wild animal, contact Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or Vaughan Animal Services at animal.services@vaughan.ca. For more information, visit vaughan.ca/AnimalServices.

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