A coyote encounter in Oakville has left one woman severely injured, even though the animal never attacked her.
Residents in the area of Third Line and Rebecca Street in Oakville say it’s not uncommon to see coyotes every day. Coyotes see pets as potential prey, which made for a very close call for Carol Dickinson and her chihuahua, Peanut when they came into contact with a coyote a couple of weeks ago.
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Dickinson says she now feels like a prisoner in her own home. She says she didn’t hear the coyote come up behind her. The coyote then grabbed the dog’s leash from her hand and, “…With the force of him pulling my dog, I did a face plant right on the sidewalk and injured myself severely. My hand was slit from one side to the other. I was bleeding like a stuffed pig on the sidewalk, I’m yelling ‘Help me help me, somebody, please help me.'”
A neighbour called for help and Dickinson went to the hospital. Her son Brian Dickinson says it could have been a lot worse, “devastated. The injuries were very traumatic…”
Dickinson would like the Town of Oakville to remove the coyotes, but the town says it doesn’t do anything to control the coyote population specifically. Even if action was taken the town says coyotes naturally reproduce, but if you happen to come in contact with one the Oakville-Burlington Humane Society says the best thing you can do is stop, pick up small dogs and children if you’re able to, and back away slowly.
“Don’t run or turn your back on it. We also advise carrying things like noise makers or large garbage bags you can snap through the air to humanely haze the coyote, letting it know this is not an area that it wants to be in, and try to remain a safe distance.”
The Town of Oakville also says seeing a coyote is not cause for alarm as urban areas provide food, shelter, and water, making these settings attractive to coyotes and other wildlife.
The Town of Oakville is asking residents to be on the lookout, not keep food or water outside, and keep an eye on their pets.
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