A Whitby coyote safety information session will give residents an opportunity to learn about coyote behaviour and what to do during an encounter.
The public session is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Centennial Building, 416 Centre Street South. The Town of Whitby says experts from Coyote Watch Canada will support the event.
Session follows a summer of heightened concern
The meeting comes after coyote sightings and incidents prompted renewed concern in Whitby earlier this summer. The municipality has said its Animal Services staff work with Durham Regional Police, monitor reported activity, assess areas of concern and install warning signs where appropriate.
Coyote safety has also been added to a September 29 community-safety roundtable involving representatives from the Town, police and local school boards. That roundtable is separate from the public information session.
The public event is intended to explain normal coyote behaviour, reduce preventable conflicts and help residents respond safely if an animal approaches. No registration requirement was included in the Town’s announcement.
What Whitby residents should know
Whitby advises people to keep their distance from coyotes, never feed them and keep pets away. Feeding wildlife can make coyotes less wary of people and may encourage them to return to homes, parks or trails where food is available.
Residents can reduce attractants by securing garbage, keeping pet food indoors, cleaning up fallen fruit and spilled bird seed, and keeping barbecue areas clean. Dogs should be supervised outdoors, brought inside at night and kept on a short leash during walks.
Property maintenance can also make yards less inviting. The Town recommends trimming overgrown vegetation, closing openings beneath decks and sheds, cleaning up dog waste and considering motion-activated lighting where wildlife repeatedly enters a property.
If someone encounters a coyote, the Town recommends remaining calm, picking up small children and pets, and backing away slowly without turning away or running. People can make themselves appear larger, wave their arms and use a firm voice to encourage the animal to leave.
Ontario guidance similarly recommends keeping a safe distance and making noise while slowly backing away from an aggressive animal. Anyone facing an immediate threat to public safety should call 911.
Sightings help guide the Town’s response
Whitby maintains an online reporting form and public sightings dashboard. Reports allow Animal Services to identify patterns, focus monitoring and determine where additional action or public information may be needed.
A sighting by itself is not automatically an emergency. The Town asks residents to use its reporting channels for local activity and to reserve 911 for an animal that poses an immediate danger to people or domestic animals.
Residents can also contact Whitby Animal Services for wildlife concerns. The Town notes that coyotes are part of the local ecosystem and that practical prevention—including removing food sources and supervising pets—is central to coexistence.
The September 29 session is open to residents seeking guidance before an encounter as well as those who have noticed coyote activity in their neighbourhood.
Sources: Town of Whitby; Whitby Animal Control and Wildlife; Ontario coyote-safety guidance; Daily Durham
