Coyotes, while they undoubtedly do serve a purpose in nature as predators, are not one of my favourite species. When it comes to pest control, they do a great job; however, after recent events pertaining to my family’s beloved dog, my attitude towards these animals has shifted a wee bit.
Coyote populations have exponentially increased in Ontario over the past several years, and what is concerning is that they don’t seem to fear urbanized and populated regions as much as they may once have. There is also the issue of cross-breeding involving these animals; species such as coydogs and coywolves have been gaining popularity as of late and sightings are becoming more common.
I wanted to share some tips regarding how to keep coyotes away from property in hopes of potentially sparing anyone from having to experience what my family and I are following the loss of our Jake. This information comes from niteguard.com.
“Coyotes will scavenge near and far to find the easiest food source, which includes investigating your backyard for anything interesting they smell … (they) will eat just about anything, so it’s important to keep your garbage tightly sealed in an animal-proof container that’s not easily accessible. For extra security, store your trash can inside of a garage or shed. If you feed your dog outside, bring in any dog food or water bowls once they’ve finished their meal for the day.
“If you don’t already have a fence around your property, we highly recommend building one … if you want a fence to be an effective coyote deterrent, taller is definitely better,” the article explains.
While none of these suggestions can absolutely guarantee that you won’t be visited by coyotes on your property, it doesn’t hurt to give them a try. Coyotes are incredibly agile, versatile, and intelligent predators, so if we can make it slightly more difficult for them to hunt, I believe it is worth a shot.
ontheedgeofeverything 