April through July is coyote pupping season in Brampton. During this time, coyotes create dens to raise and care for their pups. They tend to be more visible and active to ward off other coyotes and potential dangers. To keep the community safe, Brampton Animal Services is sharing important reminders and information.
Understanding how to share our community with coyotes
Coyotes are wary of humans and tend to avoid contact as much as possible. It is important to be respectful of their habitats and exercise caution if a coyote is seen. Approaching them is strongly discouraged.
Tips to remember for coyote pupping season:
- Keep pets on leashes.
- Always supervise your pets outdoors, even in your backyard.
- Do not feed wildlife.
- During pupping season, consider changing your walking route for a few weeks while coyote pups are young to avoid any encounters if a den is along your path.
- Do not approach coyotes, their dens or their pups, even if it appears the parents have abandoned them.
- Do not stop outside the coyote den or approach it.
- Dispose of waste properly and avoid littering.
- Do not leave pet food bowls or water bowls outdoors.
- Remove piles of wood, overgrown weeds or accumulated debris to prevent wildlife from hiding or denning in your yard.
- Keep cats indoors.
Brampton’s Coyote Sighting Map
The City of Brampton’s interactive Coyote Sighting Map is a tool for the community to stay informed about when coyotes are in the area and prevent coyote encounters. Residents and visitors are encouraged to use this tool to stay safe when planning activities in nature and to report coyote sightings.
What is a coyote?
Coyotes are small, wild canines weighing about 30 to 40 pounds, with thick blonde, red or brown fur. They thrive in rural areas and do well living in ravines, valley lands and wooded areas in large cities. Coyotes are generally shy and non-confrontational; they can be seen all year round. Coyotes are integral members of a diverse ecosystem.
Why are there coyotes in Brampton?
Coyotes are not a new species in Ontario. All major cities across North America are home to them.
Coyotes have benefitted from landscape changes brought about by urban sprawl and human activity, including clearing land for development. Cities and suburban areas provide access to coyote prey such as mice, rats, rabbits and squirrels and enough places for shelter, rest and denning. However, many residents may never see a coyote as they prefer to stay unnoticed and away from potential threats such as people, dogs and cars.
Are coyotes dangerous?
Coyotes are naturally timid animals. Typically, they avoid people and confrontation.
Most sightings are of coyotes focused on finding sources of food and water or a mate and protecting their families by watching for threats. They are mostly concerned about keeping other coyotes away. Because dogs are like coyotes, they will be treated as competition or a threat.
Steps to take if you encounter a coyote
- Stay calm: It might feel difficult, but if you're in the community and are approached by a coyote, remain calm.
- Do not run away: Running away from a coyote may encourage them to follow you.
- Make yourself loud and large: If a coyote continues to approach you, make gestures and use objects to startle the coyote into running away – do not chase or touch the animal.
- Call 9-1-1: only in an emergency situation, otherwise call 3-1-1 to report an occurrence.
How to make your property coyote safe
- Don’t feed coyotes or other wildlife: Feeding coyotes, intentionally or non-intentionally, can lead coyotes to associate humans with food, ultimately leading to negative interactions between coyotes, people and household pets.
- Take care of your home:
- Install a sturdy, high fence around your backyard.
- Get rid of any food that might attract coyotes such as unused fruits or vegetables, pet food, or birdseed, such as leftover fruits, pet food or birdseed.
- Keep your garbage containers clean and secure to prevent attracting small rodents and larger wildlife. Do not let them overflow.
- Use motion-sensitive lights to discourage coyotes from entering your yard at night.
- Prevent potential coyote denning sites: Cut down overgrown vegetation and maintain the property, close off any openings that can be used as dens and utilize outdoor lights.
How Brampton Animal Services helps keep the community safe
The City of Brampton’s Animal Services team works alongside the community to do its part to preserve Brampton’s natural ecosystem and keep the community safe by using several techniques and offering resources, including:
- Conducting aversion conditioning (humane hazing) on wildlife to reinforce a fear of being close to people and communities. Aversion conditioning can also be practiced by a member of the public if they encounter a coyote by making themselves look large by raising their arms and making loud noises.
- Assigning designated Brampton Animal Services officers to specific duties aimed at reducing coyote conflicts, including:
- conducting routine enhanced coyote hazing in residential areas,
- identifying locations for coyote signs at pathways entering wooded areas,
- responding to coyote conflicts,
- monitoring coyote sightings data to determine trends, and
- conducting public education to inform residents about coyotes and coexistence tactics.
- Increasing staff presence in areas where there are frequent coyote sightings, encounters or conflict.
- Providing inspections of private or public property for environmental factors to identify items that may attract, be a potential habitat or create an access point for coyotes to prevent coyote encounters or conflicts.
Contacting Brampton Animal Services
If in doubt, call Brampton Animal Services. Animal Services is always available to educate and inform, rescue and respond to all inquiries about wildlife in Brampton. They can be reached at 905.458.5800.
If you see a deceased or injured coyote, call Brampton Animal Services. Animal Control is on the road Monday through Friday from 7 am to 11 pm and on Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 8 am to 6:30 pm and is available after-hours for emergencies.
If a coyote is actively presenting an immediate threat to public safety by exhibiting aggressive behaviour such as lunging or biting, call 9-1-1. If the threat is no longer active or the public is not in immediate danger, call 3-1-1 to report an occurrence. If you observe a coyote that is not behaving aggressively, please report your sighting using the online interactive map.
Visit Brampton.ca/animalservices for more information and resources.
