Every Tuesday evening, Alice Kent leaves the back door of her home in the Christie Pits neighborhood unlocked for her cleaner to enter. One day, while welcoming the cleaner, Kent was surprised to find an unexpected visitor that had slipped in through the open door – a baby coyote. The cleaner alerted Kent, who initially thought it was a prank until she saw the coyote lying on the bed in her master bedroom.
Toronto has seen a rise in human-coyote encounters, with nine reported coyote bites since 2020. This increase in incidents prompted Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik to propose an urgent action plan in February 2025. Recent attacks, including one on a child in Whitby, Ontario, have spurred discussions on population control strategies.
Despite finding the coyote pup initially cute, Kent’s concerns grew for the safety of her family and the cleaner. The coyote had mange, a skin condition causing scabs and hair loss, adding to the urgency of the situation. Kent contacted 911 and the Toronto Wildlife Centre for assistance.
A common occurrence in the Christie Pits area, close encounters with coyotes are attributed to ongoing feeding, which alters their behavior and diminishes their fear of humans and homes. When the police and wildlife response team arrived at Kent’s home, they found the coyote pup hiding under the bed. The team safely extracted the pup, which was known to have sarcoptic mange, a contagious skin condition.
After assessing the coyote’s condition on-site, the Toronto Wildlife Centre treated the pup before releasing it back into the area. Kent had previously noticed three coyote pups on her back deck and had been advised by the Wildlife Centre to deter them. Prevention measures advised by experts include removing food sources, supervising pets, and making loud noises to deter unwanted coyotes.
The Toronto Wildlife Centre specifically tracks sick coyotes in the city, with the full extent of coyote populations in Toronto remaining uncertain. Karvonen mentioned the need for extensive studies to accurately determine the number of coyotes present in the city.