Coyote concerns: Calgarian attacked as neighbours complain of an animal problem
A Calgary woman spent Friday night in hospital after an encounter with an urban coyote -- and she's not the first to complain of an animal issue in the northwest.
Nicole Au was attacked by a coyote while playing with her two daughters in their Nolan Hill driveway.
It was all captured on the family's security camera.
"I felt something grab my leg and I didn't know what it was," Au told CTV News. "It just started jerking and tugging really hard. Like it was trying to pull me off my child."
The incident only lasted a couple of seconds, but it left Au with a cut-up thigh and ripped leggings.
She had to spend Friday night receiving medical treatment and tetanus and rabies immunizations.
She says it's left her shaken: mainly because her incident isn't an isolated one.
"We always see them," Au said. "Coyotes on this street. Sightings in the road. Sightings on the ravine. In my backyard."
Another woman in the area was attacked while out gardening last week.
A man living nearby had a stare-down on Saturday.
Residents of the neighbourhood say everyone in Nolan Hill has a story.
"They wander around in the broad daylight, in the early evening, late evening, middle of the night," resident Rick Gold said. "It's getting quite unsafe just to let the kids out to play."
The community is located on the city's outskirts.
The coyotes are likely wandering in to the area from nearby rural habitats and a commonly-used ravine.
Residents say they understand the issue.
But as the coyotes demonstrate more casual behaviour around humans, Gold says change is needed.
He claims dozens of his neighbours have already approached the city.
"They keep saying they're sending people out to deal with it, and we haven't seen anyone," Gold said. "Yet we still see the animals coming out too close."
A city spokesperson tells CTV News that the situation is being monitored.
"The City takes measures to keep citizens safe and will act if we encounter an aggressive coyote," Vanessa Farrelly wrote. "One method we use is hazing, which is a series of steps using noise and projectiles to reintroduce a coyote’s natural fear of humans."
The city also sent a list of tips for anyone who may encounter a coyote.
An expert says to maintain eye contact, make a lot of noise and to back away slowly. They also remind residents to keep their pets on-leash outside of marked zones.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.