Rogue coyote traps being set in Riverside Park South
Residents in the Riverside Park South neighbourhood are worried about unauthorized coyote traps being set. The City of Ottawa removed its traps earlier this month and it appears someone is setting up their own.
Hunt Club East resident Michelle Briere walks her dog in McCarthy Woods almost every day. She says she’s worried the traps might hurt her dog.
“I think it's pretty irresponsible to have these traps out in the forest, especially if they're not announced,” says Briere. “I would say probably 90 per cent of the people who come into this forest walk their dogs off leash and there's always young children running around as well. So I'm quite concerned that someone's dog or child is going to end up getting hurt.”
The City of Ottawa temporarily set traps in this area to catch coyotes and three coyotes were euthanized. However, the city traps were removed Nov. 4.
“Since then, someone has gone into the same area and set up neck snares,” says city councillor for the area Riley Brockington, “which are not authorized, which are not from the City of Ottawa, are not from the NCC.”
Brockington says the city believes someone is trying to take matters into their own hands.
Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada says she was told the rogue neck snares were actually authorized to be there. But neither the city, nor the NCC say they have deployed these traps.
Sampson wanted to help the coyote stuck in the snare, but says she couldn’t.
“To interfere with that snare, we would have been breaking the law,” says Sampson. “I spoke with not only the provincial government and the federal government—so the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources conservation officer and a Conservation Officer from the NCC. I was told explicitly that that snare was a legally set snare.”
In a statement Ottawa Bylaw director Roger Chapman confirmed in a statement to CTV News that Bylaw and its partners are currently not engaged in any trapping operations in the area.
An email from Ottawa Bylaw that Brockington showed to CTV News, dated Dec. 2, says the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has been in touch for the purposes of investigating unauthorized traps, which had been encountered and removed. It also said Ottawa Bylaw would not use nor condone the use of neck snares.
Some residents, even those with pets, feel the coyotes should be left alone and say they haven’t been notified about any traps.
“For me, it's to learn to live with nature,” says Riverview Park resident Andrea Petersen. “We don't know who set them so we're making the assumption that it's people doing it on their own. And especially when they say there's a coyote with one on its left paw, like, where did that trap come from?”
Michelle Briere justs want to be able to enjoy nature with her dog Otis and without the risk of injury.
“Personally, I feel like trapping and euthanizing these coyotes is not an effective long-term solution,” says Briere, “nor is it the responsible or ethical thing to do.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man books $7,700 luxury villa on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he was charged more than $7,700 to book a luxury villa on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.