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
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.