Dog owners in a Vancouver neighbourhood are refusing to use a local park after several coyote attacks.
Last Sunday night, longtime resident Melinda Ho says she was walking her dog in Trafalgar Park when a coyote attacked, leaving her pup with major injuries.
“All of a sudden, I heard him yelp,” said Ho. “I picked him up right away and my boyfriend tried to chase the coyote away, and he didn’t go very far. He was just a little bit further and stayed there and was just staring at us.”
Other neighbours are gearing up for their daily walks to help ensure their pets' safety.
Cam Forbes and friends are carrying air horns after a coyote got too close to his puppy Gorilla in recent days.
“We saw a nose poke out of the bush and my friend's dog noticed it and began sauntering over,” said Forbes.
The two then ran with their dogs to a nearby house and closed a gate behind them.
Wildlife officials are now warning people in the Arbutus Ridge neighbourhood to be vigilant after seeing an increased coyote presence in the area.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service posted a warning on Twitter Thursday, in response to several complaints of coyotes biting dogs and following people near Trafalgar Park.
"Coyotes are very active across the Lower Mainland at this time of year," the tweet reads.
The BCCOS is asking people to take the proper precautions and to consider avoiding the area with their pets.
With denning season in full swing, the animals are more active as they protect their dens and seek food for their young.
Last month, the Vancouver Park Board said people can peacefully coexist with coyotes by giving the animals their space.
A city bylaw strictly prohibits the feeding of wildlife anywhere in Vancouver.
The BCCOS says coyote activity will continue to be monitored, and is reminding the public that anyone caught feeding wildlife could face a $500 fine.
