City officials say a coyote that bit a child over the weekend remains at large as neighboring residents are being asked to be careful when attending the west-end park.
Toronto police reported the biting incident just before 4:30 pm on May 28 at Westlake Park, near Weston Road and Black Creek Drive.
The child did not suffer serious injuries.
Officials with the City of Toronto said on Wednesday that officers with Toronto Animal Services (TAS) attended the park over the weekend to “assess the area” and check for a coyote den while determining whether other factors, such as coyote feeding, could be enticing the wild animal.
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“Coyotes generally do not pose a danger to people, and a bite to a human is abnormal behaviour,” city officials said as part of a news release.
“TAS has notified the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry about the incident and will seek their advice and direction on next steps.”
Stay vigilant of coyote sightings, city officials say
The coyote has not been captured, and officials say they have posted a sign at the park’s entrance to warn residents of coyotes in the neighborhood. TAS officers have also fenced off a specific area in the park.
“Most interactions with coyotes are the result of a nearby, regular food source, primarily intentional feeding by people,” officials noted.
“To minimize negative encounters… never feed coyotes and don’t leave food, including pet food, outside. Properly dispose of waste at home and in parks. When encountering a coyote, do not run but make noise to scare the coyote away. Do not approach coyotes, their dens, or their young [and] do not touch coyotes, even if they appear tame, sick or injured.”
Officials note that they will continue to educate the public on coyotes and remind everyone that bylaws are in place to strongly prohibit feeding the animals.
Residents can call 311 to report a coyote sighting or submit a service request here. More information on the city’s coyote response is available here.