8 ways to protect yourself from coyotes

Coyote sightings are becoming more and more frequent here in Ottawa. Last year alone, 476 coyote sightings were reported to the City.

While these animals can certainly be interesting from afar, it’s important that we do our best to coexist with them while also keeping them a safe distance away from our families, pets, and properties.

In order to make your property uninviting to coyotes and other pesky wildlife, there are several easy and ethical tips to consider.

Firstly, try to refrain from putting out your garbage bins the night before your scheduled collection day, as this can pique the interest of wild animals. Instead, bring your garbage out the morning of collection day whenever possible.

You should also keep your garbage and compost in sealed and undamaged bins inside your garage if you have one.

Don’t leave cat or dog food out for pets, as this can attract hungry coyotes and other wildlife.

Similarly, any fruit trees, berry bushes, or vegetable gardens should be regularly cleared of fallen fruits and veggies and fenced to keep animals out.

To be extra thorough, you can also remove any brush or tall weeds from your yard, as this can attract smaller animals to your home, and encourage coyotes to stop by to hunt.

You can also install motion-detecting lights to ward off any unwelcome visitors in the night.

It’s also recommended to close off any potential hiding spaces such as underneath your deck, shed, or porch.

That being said, coyotes are actually quite fearful of humans, and won’t usually approach you.

However, should you encounter a coyote, it’s important that you keep calm and do not turn your back on the coyote. Don’t run, instead, stand as tall as you can, wave your hands, and make as much noise as possible. Slowly back away from the coyote until you are safely indoors.

While keeping yourself safe is a top priority, it’s also important that we do as much as we can to protect our pets from falling victim to a coyote attack as well.

This is why when walking pets at night or evening, it’s important to carry a flashlight to shine on and scare any coyotes that might be lurking.

Always keep pets on their leash and never use them to chase away coyotes.

Your pets should also never be left outside unattended, as even large dog breeds can risk serious injury or exposure to fatal diseases or parasites from an encounter with a coyote.

If you see a coyote in your neighbourhood, we recommend that you report your sighting online to Service Ottawa, by emailing 311@ottawa.ca, or by calling 3-1-1. If a coyote is posing an immediate threat or danger to the public, call 9-1-1 immediately.

And of course, remember to keep safe and be respectful of the wildlife, as they live here too.