Greensville resident Natalie Wroblowsky is warning pet owners to be vigilant after her dog Mooch was killed in a suspected daytime coyote attack just moments after being let out into her fenced yard.
Greensville resident Natalie Wroblowsky is warning pet owners to be vigilant after her dog Mooch was killed in a suspected daytime coyote attack just moments after being let out into her fenced yard.
A “devastated” Greensville resident is warning pet owners to be vigilant after her dog was killed in a suspected daytime coyote attack shortly after being let out into her fenced yard for a pee.
Natalie Wroblowsky said she asked her daughter and in-laws if they’d seen Mooch, her Jackapoo (a cross between a Jack Russell terrier and poodle) when she couldn’t find the adopted rescue dog “literally just minutes” after he went outside around 3 p.m. on Feb. 12.
She said she got a bad feeling when her daughter spotted buzzards circling and crows eating something behind the yard of their Highway 8 home, located by a wooded area near Crooks Hollow Road.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
They went to investigate, finding a trail of blood and entrails that led to a gruesome discovery confirming their worst fears.
“The two of us are left with this horrific image,” Wroblowsky said, her voice cracking with emotion. “We all live with coyotes around here. We hear them every night pretty much, especially at this time, but we’ve never ever had anything happen like this.”
Wroblowsky said concerns about coyotes led her family to install a 1.5-metre-high chain-link fence around their large property that lights up at night because Mooch spent much of his time outdoors since being adopted about four years ago.
She said it’s not clear what happened, but he liked to play with other dogs, unlike their other, larger rescue dog, which will only go out if accompanied by a family member.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
“They’re very smart,” Wroblowsky said of coyotes. “We don’t know if they enticed him out or if he got under the fence, or if they came over the fence and grabbed him. It’s just really, really traumatic.”
She said she’s posted warnings on private web pages for the groups Flamborough Families and Dundas Parents Network, but also wants to alert other pet owners to be vigilant.
Gord Costie, the Hamilton Conservation Authority’s director of conservation area services, said coyotes are more active throughout the day during winter, unlike other times when they’re mostly out at sunrise and sunset.
He said there have been no reported coyote incidents at conservation areas so far this year, but people enjoying the outdoors should always supervise children and leash their dogs.
“Almost every time we get a report and if it involves a dog, hearing that the dog was off-leash is disappointing,” Costie said, noting a dog’s scent can make coyotes territorial.
A conservation authority Living With Coyotes blog advises anyone encountering a coyote to remain calm and give it space, as they typically avoid people.
“Coyotes are naturally curious creatures and may pause to look you over, but will have no intention to approach or attack,” it states. “If you do feel threatened by a coyote, make loud noises and sudden movements to scare it away.”
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry offers homeowners tips on how to protect dogs from coyotes, including keeping pet food indoors, fencing vegetable gardens, picking up fallen fruit and dog feces, and only putting garbage out on the morning of a scheduled pickup.
It also recommends installing a two-metre-high property fence that extends 20 centimetres below ground and has rollers on top to prevent coyotes from digging underneath or climbing over the barrier.
Other safeguards include motion-sensitive lighting or sprinklers, clearing bushes and dense weeds that coyotes may use for cover, and closing spaces under porches, decks and sheds to avoid them being used for dens.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation