Every Tuesday evening, Alice Kent leaves the back door of her home in Christie Pits ajar for her cleaner. On a particular day, as she welcomed the cleaner inside, Kent was surprised to find an unexpected visitor sneaking in through the open door.
The visitor turned out to be a baby coyote lying on the master bedroom mattress, initially mistaken for a fox. Despite finding the pup cute at first, Kent’s feelings quickly shifted to concern for her family’s safety.
The incident highlights a growing trend in Toronto, where encounters between humans and coyotes have been on the rise. Since 2020, there have been nine reported cases of coyote bites in the city, prompting Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik to propose an urgent action plan in February 2025.
Recent events, including a child being attacked in Whitby and a two-year-old also falling victim to a coyote, have sparked debates on population control strategies.
Kent promptly contacted both 911 and the Toronto Wildlife Centre upon discovering the coyote pup in her bedroom. The pup, visibly suffering from mange, a skin condition, was later captured and treated by wildlife experts.
Nathalie Karvonen, Executive Director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, emphasized the importance of not feeding coyotes, as it alters their behavior and reduces their fear of humans.
After a successful rescue operation, the coyote pup was treated on-site and released back into the wild. Kent had previously noticed three coyote pups frequenting her property, following advice to deter them by making loud noises.
Karvonen stressed the need to secure food sources, supervise pets, and deter coyotes through noise to prevent unwanted encounters. The Wildlife Centre focuses on tracking and treating sick coyotes in Toronto, with the actual population numbers remaining uncertain without extensive research efforts.
