Prairiewolf rukt puppy uit handen vrouw in Pickering(Canada) - Coyote gaat er vandoor met dwergkeesje in bek

Coyote runs off with puppy

Owner was walking dogs near Rouge River

03-03-2010 Kenyon Wallace, National Post, Canada


Durham Regional Police are warning pet owners to walk their animals on a leash and keep cats inside after a coyote snatched a small dog while out for a stroll with its owner near the Rouge River ravine.

Police say a 24-year-old Pickering woman was walking her two Pomeranians near Pine Grove and Woodview Avenues in the west end of the city at around 9:55 p.m. on Monday when a coyote approached from behind and grabbed the smaller dog -- a puppy -- in its mouth and ran off into the woods. Neither the dog owner nor the second dog was harmed.

"She didn't see the coyote coming. It just grabbed hold of the puppy," said Sergeant Nancy van Rooy. "It's the first time this has happened in Pickering to my knowledge."

After the attack, family members returned to the area and were able to locate the coyote on Woodview, but their puppy was nowhere to be seen. Later, police officers were unable to locate the coyote or the dog. Police say residents have reported numerous recent sightings of a coyote in the area.

Nathalie Karvonen, executive director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, says her organization often gets calls about coyote sightings but rarely about situations in which pets, particularly dogs, are eaten by coyotes. But that's not to say it doesn't happen.

"There have been scientific studies showing that cats can make up to 30% of a coyote's diet," Ms. Karvonen said. "Coyotes don't understand the difference between a cat, a groundhog or a Pomeranian. They are all prey for the coyote."

She said the GTA's large green spaces, such as the Rouge River ravine and the Don Valley, are habitats for wild animals and the fact that humans live at the edges of these natural areas means encounters with coyotes are common.

The Pickering incident comes just a month after another dog was attacked by coyotes while out for a walk with its owner along a wooded trail near the Scarborough Bluffs.

On Jan. 31, Patricia Hornyack and her Labrador retriever, Choco, were walking in Guildwood Park near Kingston and Markham roads when two coyotes approached the dog, biting it on its ear and leg. While Ms. Hornyack managed to scare the coyotes away with a stick, the animals continued to stalk her and Choco as they walked out of the park. Police were unable to locate the coyotes after scouring the area for hours.

Similarly, a coyote that caused a storm when it snatched a Chihuahua from a Beaches-area backyard and attacked two others in February 2009 is still on the loose. Despite the use of paintball guns, air horns and humane traps, the oft-photographed carnivore continues to elude capture. The city says if and when it is eventually caught, the coyote will not be euthanized but rather taken to a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.

Sgt. van Rooy says pet owners should remember that many animals feed at dawn and dusk -- the same times people tend to walk their dogs. She said people should bring a whistle or a noise-making device to frighten away any animals and should never turn or run away if they encounter a coyote, but rather remain calm and back away slowly.

(Bron: http://www.nationalpost.com)