B.C. community sees 2 coyote attacks in 2 weeks

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is investigating two separate coyote attacks on dog-walkers in Langley Township.

On June 29 around 9:30 p.m., Kristy Addison was walking her dog, Cena, a small Keeshond. The pair were on 244 Street, just south of Robertson Crescent, when three coyotes approached. Two of them stayed back as Addison backed away, but one kept following them.

“I started yelling – 'No! No! Stay back!' And I tried appearing bigger than I was,” said Addison.

Addison picked Cena up, and immediately after that one of the coyotes lunged at them.

“(It) ran into us and just started biting at (Cena’s) fur,” said Addison. “I’m trying to kick and punch him with my right side and balance with my left, and that’s when he started biting at my leg. He bit my leg three or four times.”

Addison said the terrifying ordeal lasted between three and five minutes, and came to an end when she waved at two people driving by, who then scared the coyotes away with their vehicle. They pulled over and took Addison and Cena to safety.

Cena was unharmed in the encounter, while Addison sustained bruising on her foot and holes in her pant legs where the coyote had bitten through them. She did not get the Good Samaritan's contact information, but managed to track them down through social media later on to thank them.

“They saved my dog’s life that night and they very well saved me from something very, very bad,” she said.

Addison, who is accustomed to seeing coyotes in the neighbourhood, thought the attack was just a one-off. However, on Friday morning, another took place just a few blocks away.

An Aldergrove woman shared her experience on a local Facebook community page, saying she was walking her German shepherd in the morning when they were confronted by several coyotes. Neither the woman nor the dog was injured.

Addison was surprised to learn the coyotes were undeterred by the presence of a large dog and believes it points to one or more overly aggressive coyotes in the area.

“That’s the biggest thing I want people to know from this. It doesn’t matter how big you are, how big your dog is, or what time of day you’re walking. You need to know you’re not the exception,” said Addison.

Last summer, four coyotes were euthanized following numerous reports of attacks on people in Vancouver's Stanley Park. The BC COS is now investigating the latest encounters in Aldergrove and monitoring coyote activity in the area. At this point, it’s unclear whether the same coyotes were involved in both attacks.

The BC COS is urging people to take precautions to prevent coyote conflicts, including carrying bear spray, keeping pets leashed, and walking in groups when possible. If a coyote is focused on your pet, the BC COS recommends picking it up, backing away.

Anyone who witnesses aggressive coyote behaviour is asked to contact the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.