Coyote terrorizing Toronto park has been shot and killed by police
A coyote who was thought to have attacked multiple people in a Toronto park was shot by police and died on Monday.
That breaks my heart. 💔😢🙏
— Vicky🇮🇪🇨🇦 (@LeclercVicky) November 22, 2021
Two people were bitten the day before by a coyote in Bayview Village Park after a series of other recent sightings in the area.
Some people mentioned that there may have been more than one coyote roaming the park.
The city made comment on the attacks on Sunday, saying Toronto Animal Services and Toronto Police's Emergency Task Force were in the park all day working to find and capture the coyote.
Toronto police tells blogTO that the city's Animal Services department were the ones who made the call to have the animal shot.
a coyote being a coyote gets shot by a pig
— Last of a Dying Breed (@RamRamBiggaLow) November 22, 2021
"There were concerns the animal would continue to roam and from a public safety standpoint, a decision was made to put the animal down," police said.
The coyote was found and shot near Hollywood Public School in North York, officers say.
Police mentioned to blogTO that a member of the school saw the coyote and made a call to officers just before 8 a.m. on Monday morning.
Good…they are become a nuisance and are dangerous
— ms.fancyyyz (@msfancyyyz) November 22, 2021
Apparently, Animal Services made the call to shoot because they believed the now-dead coyote was the same one that bit two people near Bayview.
The city tells blogTO that non-lethal ways of capturing the coyote were considered.
"After consultations with wildlife experts at Toronto Wildlife Centre, it was determined that this could not safely guarantee the capture of the coyote and this was not a viable option," says a city spokesperson.
It was terrorizing people, normally I am 100 percent for safe removal and relocation , I witnessed this coyote attack TWO people and go for a third , and stock a baby in a stroller. This was the best decision. Think of if you or your loved ones were attacked badly!
— The6ixVoice (@The6ixVoice) November 22, 2021
With the immediate risk to the public, the coyote was euthanized on site at Hollywood Public School.
Some Torontonians were upset to hear the news of the coyote being killed.
The Coyote was not terrorizing anyone, it was scared and defending itself … remember they are wild animals that walk in rural areas .. question is how did they get there
— Jonni Martinez (@iJonniM) November 22, 2021
Others felt shooting wasn't the right move, saying that humans have taken over its natural habitat.
robbed of its natural habitat through human encroachment and interference, the poor coyote is murdered in a hopeless attempt to orient itself from what it instinctually knew to be its own turf
— Autom Tagsa (@autom8) November 22, 2021
Another person speculated on the possibility of the coyote coming around because it was being fed by someone.
This was the only possible outcome. Locals feeding wildlife never ends well.
— Robert Raponi (@travellingvatty) November 22, 2021
The city says it is now sending the body of the coyote to be tested for rabies, to ensure the safety of the two people who were bitten on Sunday.
Toronto Animal Services is continuing an investigation into the incident to see if intentional feeding was happening and find out what made the coyote act out in the first place.
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