Coyote Deaths Expose Breakdown in Community Collaboration on Urban Wildlife Coexistence Says Animal Alliance and Coyote Watch Canada

TORONTO, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two coyotes in the Fort York and Liberty Village area of Toronto have been killed-an outcome animal protection organizations feared and worked to prevent.

"We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts made by the City of Toronto and Toronto Animal Services to approach this situation with modern, non-lethal methods," said Lia Laskaris, CEO of Animal Alliance of Canada. "The critical question now is: how will we respond next time? Will we act with knowledge and calm, or will fear and misinformation continue to shape our decisions?"

Liz White, Founding Director of the Animal Alliance of Canada Fund, added, "We've learned to navigate risks posed by urban life-such as cars, which cause thousands of deaths each year-yet we struggle to adapt to coexisting with coyotes. Understanding and coexistence must be part of our urban future. When I addressed the Committee, I asked, 'What kind of city do we want to be?' Let's strive to be a compassionate one."

The City's own release acknowledged several contributing factors, including habitat loss due to ongoing construction, high population density with limited green space, the feeding of wildlife, dog waste that attracts rodents (a prey source for coyotes), and improper garbage disposal.

Lesley Sampson, Executive Director of Coyote Watch Canada, emphasized the importance of addressing root causes: "Green space is not a luxury-it's essential, not only for residents, but for all species that share our environment. Providing adequate habitat supports ecological balance and reduces conflict."

Sampson continued, "Coyotes, like their domestic dog relatives, can adapt their behaviour when communities actively shape a safer, more informed environment. Ongoing issues such as intentional or unintentional feeding of wildlife and irresponsible pet guardianship directly contribute to human-wildlife conflict. These challenges will persist unless we prioritize best practice education and take shared responsibility. Lethal force is not a solution-prevention, education and enforcement are."

While public education is a critical first step, lasting change requires community cooperation and a collective commitment to coexistence.

Lia Laskaris

CEO, Animal Alliance of Canada

416-462-9541 | [email protected]

Liz White

Founding Director, Animal Alliance of Canada Fund

[email protected] 

Lesley Sampson

Executive Director, Coyote Watch Canada

[email protected]