Coyote at Toronto school latest incident behind calls to expand bylaw banning wildlife feeding

Hours after a coyote was shot and killed at a North York school, the Toronto Wildlife Centre is reiterating its plea for residents to stop feeding animals and is calling for an expansion of a bylaw to support the effort.

“This tragedy is yet another easily avoidable incident that had an animal pay the price for human negligence and misdeeds. The coyote had displayed typical behaviours associated with being fed by the public,” a statement issued by the centre Monday afternoon said.

“The wild animal had likely grown accustomed to the feeding and approached the wrong people in expectation of being given an easy meal.”

It was just before 8 a.m. on Monday when Toronto police officers and the City’s animal services staff were called to Hollywood Public School, just west of Bayview Avenue and north of Sheppard Avenue East.

Students and staff in portables were relocated into the school and the coyote, laying near a fence for an extended period of time, was subsequently shot. A Toronto police spokesperson told reporters the delay in a tranquillizer kicking in and the possibility of the coyote taking off or jumping a fence.

RELATED: Police shoot and kill coyote spotted in North York schoolyard

On Sunday, the City of Toronto reported two people were bitten while at Bayview Village Park less than a kilometre away. Officers said the coyote shot on Monday is believed to have been the same one. There were no serious injuries reported in connection with that incident.

The Toronto Wildlife Centre statement said the lack of injuries suggested the bites “were typical of a fed coyote seeking more food,” adding small dogs could potentially cause the same level of injury.

The charity encouraged residents in Toronto to contact city council and encourage expanding the ban of feeding wildlife beyond City-owned parks while also calling for similar moves in nearby municipalities.

“Together we must push to make it socially unacceptable to feed coyotes and those who choose to ignore the bylaw should be reported to the authorities and charged. While well-intentioned, feeding changes the behaviour of coyotes and can cost them their lives – as it did for this beautiful, healthy animal today,” the statement said.

“If you see anyone feeding coyotes or leaving food out for them, please report it to 311 immediately.”

RELATED: ‘Major’ coyote problem plaguing west end Toronto neighbourhood

The issue of feeding coyotes came to a head earlier in the month when residents near Jane Street and Dundas Street West raised concerns about coyotes in the area, something they said was fuelled by reports of a resident leaving food out.

However, staff with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry respond to reports of coyotes in urban settings — partly seen with increasing development and activities in cities in recent years — in conjunction with, and at the request of, municipal crews. Ministry staff are also sometimes called in by police during daylight hours to assist with emergency situations.

A statement from the ministry didn’t comment specifically on the situation at Hollywood Public School, but it said “aggressive coyotes are unlikely to change behaviour and in such cases, humane trapping and dispatch methods may be the most appropriate response.”

The statement noted coyotes are usually “wary of humans” and that attacks against humans are “very rare,” adding small pets are preyed upon.

Ministry staff reiterated the calls to not intentionally feed coyotes and to never approach a coyote appearing to show a lack of fear to people or behaving in an aggressive manner.

If anyone comes across a coyote, residents were encouraged by officials to calmly back away from the coyote slowly without turning or running away from it. They also encouraged people to assume a tall stance while waving hands and making a loud noise, encouraging the use of a flashlight at night.