The city of Toronto says two people were bitten by what police called an “aggressive” coyote in a popular North York park on Sunday.
Investigators say the alleged incident occurred around 1 p.m. in Bayview Village Park, just north of Sheppard Avenue, where a coyote was seen roaming the area.
Const. Alex Li tells CityNews that several people approached claiming that the animal bit them.
“Toronto police are on the scene, as well as Toronto Animal Services, who are investigating the incident,” says Li. “What officials in the area have told me is that they are strongly encouraging and recommending citizens to stay away from the Bayview Village Park area to avoid further attacks by this coyote until the problem is resolved.”
City officials say two people were bitten by the wild animal in the park on Sunday, adding that Toronto Animal Services and officials “have been in the area all day working diligently to capture the coyote,” and efforts they resumed on Monday.
Toronto paramedics told CityNews that no injuries were reported.
“The coyote is still at large and the City advises area residents to stay away from the park and use caution in neighboring areas,” said a spokesman for the City of Toronto.
Const. Li says the public better be aware of this search and “stay away from the area until we have things sorted out.”
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In a separate incident on Sunday, a concerned citizen posted on Reddit to issue an advisory of his own following a coyote sighting in Sherwood Park, located east of York near Leaside.
“[I] I was in Sherwood Park off leash this afternoon and saw two coyotes inside the fenced area, ”the user wrote.
“They looked scruffy and certainly on the hunt. ID [advise] anyone who passes by or with their dogs, be careful. “
Occurs when Toronto’s surrounding areas and neighborhoods face an influx Coyote sightings and attacks reported in recent times.
On November 10, CityNews reported that pet owners and parents in a far west Toronto neighborhood were increasingly concerned about a herd of coyotes seen roaming nearby.
Residents living in the Jane and Dundas area say the animals have become a nuisance, adding that the problems had recently escalated when someone left food behind.
This follows a highly publicized attack in Scarborough In late July he saw a small dog attacked by a coyote in broad daylight.
The city of Toronto and the Toronto Wildlife Center have said that while coyotes generally pose no danger to humans, pets are at risk.
Nathalie Karvonen, executive director of the Toronto Wildlife Center, told CityNews in July that a human is more likely to be injured or killed by a dog or, in some cases, a cat bite.
The director of Toronto Animal Services says that most coyotes do not interact with humans, but are more likely to do so if they are fed.
Reference-toronto.citynews.ca