Town of Milton reminding residents not to feed coyotes

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Published July 6, 2022 at 10:46 am

With coyotes always on the prowl to feed themselves and their hungry pups, the Town of Milton often issues reminders and offers advice to keep the community and their pets safe.

When their denning season begins, coyote sightings usually increase. This is why it’s important for residents to remain alert at all times when they’re outdoors with their families or pets.

“We’re reminding residents that it is never okay to feed coyotes or other wildlife,” said the Town of Milton on Twitter.

“We must ensure inappropriate actions do not negatively influence their natural instincts and wariness towards humans.”

Back in the spring, Milton Ward 1 Councillor Colin Best told insauga that the warnings issued by the Town are meant to serve as an education program for residents who may not be used to coyote sightings.

Best also confirmed that urban residents have reported a number of coyote sightings and that he, too, had frequently been spotting coyotes on his property.

The Town of Milton also told insauga that the reason for these posts is to simply remind residents that they may spot coyotes from time to time.

Additionally, the Town said that raising awareness about sightings is important because most negative coyote interactions are preventable. As a result, residents are being reminded not to approach or feed them.

Here’s what Milton residents can do to keep their families and pets safe from coyotes.

The Town of Milton suggests storing garbage, compost and pet food in a place coyotes cannot access, supervising animals when they are in the yard and cleaning up after your dog as coyotes are attracted to dog feces.

Milton residents should also practice hazing to let coyotes know they are not welcome.

Although coyotes are naturally wary of humans, they will seek food and shelter in residential neighbourhoods when the opportunity arises. This is why it’s important to remember never to feed coyotes which can cause aggressive behaviour as a result of them becoming too familiar with humans.

Should residents come face to face with coyotes, the Town of Milton suggests that residents appear aggressive by standing tall, waving their arms, shouting, clapping their hands and making a lot of noise. It’s important to remember to never turn your back on, or run from, a coyote and to always back away if you come across any pups.

While coyotes do a great deal of good for ecosystems, they are by nature, predators.

They have been known to hunt small animals in neighbourhoods which can include cats and small dogs in extreme cases.

Residents are reminded to never leave their pets unattended, especially at night, even in a fenced backyard due to the fact that coyotes can view pets as a threat to their territory.

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