City euthanizes coyotes after reported attacks in Liberty Village-Fort York

Article content

The City of Toronto says it has euthanized a pair of mated coyotes due to public safety concerns after multiple reported incidents in two communities.

Earlier this year, the Coyote Safety Coalition — a group representing residents in the Liberty Village and Fort York areas — urged the city to take action after the group claimed six coyote attacks occurred in a single night, including at least two that required pets to get emergency treatment.

The city says in a news release that over the past several months it reviewed its coyote response, including staff monitoring and bylaw enforcement, and it also hired an independent panel and two coyote expert companies to review the city’s mitigation efforts.

The city says while it has implemented expert recommendations including targeted aversion, broken fence repairs and improved lighting, the two communities have “unique factors” that have conditioned coyotes to human interactions, such as habitat displacement due to construction and improper waste disposal.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

The city says two coyotes were humanely euthanized after Toronto Animal Services confirmed that one coyote in the area was responsible for multiple “negative encounters,” during which his mate was present.

It says a third coyote has left the area “possibly due to increased aversion activities” and there is no evidence that a fourth reported coyote is reactive to humans.

“While the city successfully supports wildlife in its natural habitat across Toronto, if animal behaviour changes in a way that jeopardizes public safety, then the city must take action to protect residents,” the news release says. “This has been done as a last resort after all options were exhausted.”

The city says bylaw officers and municipal animal experts will keep monitoring the area and educating residents to prevent future issues.