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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.