Animal control
To report wild animals, residents can contact the Côte Saint-Luc Dispatch Centre at 514-485-6960. Many wild animals, such as skunks, groundhogs, raccoons, foxes and so on, are protected by wildlife regulations so they cannot be caged unless they are trapped in the ceiling, roof, shed, or enclosed balcony area.
These wild animals are then released in the area, and most often on the property itself. That means you should fix the problem of where the animal got in as this is the area that it knows best. The wild animals do not get relocated to the wilderness again.
If the wild animals are digging up the property or roaming around, the SPCA can recommend techniques and products that can deter these animals. The only time an animal is removed is if it is sick or injured.
Coyotes
There have been reports of coyote sightings in Côte Saint-Luc. The recent sighting (October 2016) was behind homes on Holland Rd., near the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks. Typically, coyotes are present along the gullies next to railroad tracks. In fact, CP has a program in place to trap coyotes, but it only starts on October 25, which is when hunting season opens in Quebec.
Côte Saint-Luc will be asking the Quebec government for special permission to trap the coyotes before the start of the trapping season. If we receive the permission, we will immediately hire a trapper to relocate the animals outside our area. According to wildlife experts, there are things people can do to discourage coyotes from entering back yards or private property.
- Discourage coyotes from entering your property by removing brush piles or areas that may be perceived as a resting place or den.
- Don’t feed coyotes. Ensure garbage, bird feed, and pet food is inaccessible. Avoid leaving food from fruit trees on the ground.
- Keep pets attended and on a leash. Supervise animals when they are in the yard. Cats should not be permitted to roam freely.
- Do not turn your back on, or run from, a coyote. Stand tall, wave your arms and make lots of noise.
The risk to humans is low. They are more scared of us than we are of them. Here are some key points to keep in mind about coyotes:
- Urban coyotes do not feast on pets and garbage; they typically stick to a natural diet.
- Urban coyotes help control the populations of other sometimes problematic urban wildlife like rodents.
- Urban coyotes reduce the presence of feral and free-roaming cats in natural spaces, which helps protect songbirds in parks.
- The easiest way for city residents to avoid negative interactions with coyotes is to avoid feeding them, either accidentally or on purpose, and otherwise habituating them to humans.
Watch this video from the Town of Oakville for more useful information showing how to scare coyotes away from your property.