Orillia families shaken after coyote attacks leave pets injured, dead

'Since it’s a city park, the city should understand the liability of allowing something that dangerous to reside within the park,' says frustrated Ashton Street resident

Tyler Evans

Sep 20, 2025 2:30 PM

For a pair of Orillia families, a coyote problem that has simmered in two city neighbourhoods for years became painfully personal this week.

One family says they are mourning their beloved cat after a coyote scaled their fence in the dark, early morning hours, while another watched their cat struggle home, injured, before a veterinarian confirmed puncture wounds from what is believed to have been a coyote attack.

Their stories, several blocks apart but echoing the same fear, have sparked calls for action from residents who are frustrated about who is responsible for keeping them safe.

Rick and Sandra Lockman have lived on Lankin Boulevard for more than three decades, raising a family in the quiet neighbourhood near the edge of a wooded area. They thought they knew its rhythms, its safety, its occasional brush with wildlife. But early Saturday morning, their routine was shattered.

Sandra said she was sitting inside with the family dog after their morning walk, tea in hand and iPad open, when she noticed the family's two cats had wandered out onto the deck. Within moments, a commotion erupted.

“I hop up, throw on the outside light so I have better vision, open the door to see a coyote heading to the back fence with Lilly in her mouth,” she recalled. “Of course, because I came out the door to see what was going on and hadn’t shut the screen, the retriever came out and chased the coyote to the back fence."

What followed was a frantic scramble. Lilly, their daughter’s cat, was badly hurt. The family rushed to gather her up, believing at first the injuries might be survivable. Later that morning, they knew otherwise.

“The poor little thing looked so scared and helpless,” Rick said, his voice breaking as he remembered petting Lilly only hours before the attack. “She basically couldn’t crawl. She moved her front legs, and her whole back end was soft. The vet said her intestines were out of her abdomen. No animal deserves that.”

“It’s hard to forget," Sandra added. "It’s something you can’t get out of your mind.”

The Lockmans say coyotes have had a presence for years, but what once seemed like distant wildlife has become a constant menace. Packs roam nearby wooded areas, their howls carrying into backyards after kills, and Rick says it has worsened.

“There’s always been coyotes,” he said. “But the biggest problem I have with it is nobody will say who is supposed to look after this. I don’t blame the coyotes, but they need to be moved. They’re bigger now, they’re pack trained, and they’re not just in the forest, they’re in our yards.”

He points to neighbours who have armed themselves for routine walks. One man carries a golf club, calling it his “coyote killer.”

"They’re full shepherd size,” he said. “They’re fast and sneaky. You don’t even know they’re coming.”

Across town on Ashton Street, Bill Griffin tells a similar story. His family’s cat, Minnie, came limping home one night late last week. At first, they thought she had been in a fight with another cat.

“My mom said she heard a commotion, and then about a few minutes later, the cat came limping in,” he said. “We just thought that maybe she’d gotten into a fight and hurt her leg. We kept her inside for another day, but she just wasn’t getting better.”

It wasn’t until a veterinarian examined her closely that the truth became clear. Wounds on her body were consistent with a large animal attack. The vet told the family puncture marks matched a coyote. Minnie is now on antibiotics, painkillers and anti-anxiety medication. She is expected to recover, though Griffin says her independence may never be the same.

“I would be concerned letting her stay out all night now,” he said. “She loves being outside, and trying to keep her in is going to be the tough thing."

Griffin has seen coyotes before, often in the winter, darting down his street with rabbits in their mouths. He says they come from Homewood Park and the forested area near Laurentian Lane. He says what has changed is their boldness.

“This is kind of the first time they’ve been scavenging in people’s yards,” he said. “If there is a den in that forested area of Homewood Park, and a kid goes to get a ball, heaven forbid that they wake them up, and something worse can happen. Pets are one thing, but our children are another.”

Like the Lockmans, Griffin feels caught between levels of government, unsure of who to turn to for help.

“Since it’s a city park, the city should understand the liability of allowing something that dangerous to reside within the park,” he said. “There’s got to be some sort of animal control in collaboration with the city to try and mitigate that. But no one seems to want to claim it.”

Experts say the presence of coyotes in residential areas is not unusual. Krystal Hewitt, director and manager of operations at Speaking of Wildlife in Severn Township, said the animals are highly adaptable and resourceful, which makes sightings in urban areas increasingly common.

“Wherever there is food or resources, there will essentially be coyotes,” she said, pointing to unsecured garbage, fruit trees, gardens, bird feeders and even people feeding stray animals as factors that can unintentionally draw predators into neighbourhoods. "When we feed any wild animal, we are feeding a food chain.”

Hewitt said responsibility is shared between residents and municipalities. Homeowners can limit attractants, municipalities can work with the province to respond to conflicts, and the Ministry of Natural Resources provides guidance.

“It’s everybody’s responsibility to do what they can in their power to reduce the likelihood that those animals are going to continue to come into residential areas,” she said.

On the contentious issue of relocation or trapping, Hewitt explained there are strict limits on how far wildlife can be moved in Ontario.

“You can’t take a coyote from Orillia and transport it to another municipality or another area,” she said. “That doesn’t eliminate a problem; it just creates one somewhere else.”

She added that without addressing food sources, coyotes can simply return. She also noted that killing coyotes without proper licensing is against the law.

“Coyotes are a protected species in the province and you do have to be licensed to hunt, trap or kill them,” she said.

While residents fear that children could be at risk, Hewitt said attacks are unlikely when kids are supervised.

“We never say never, but if you see a coyote and make loud noises and make yourself the thing to be feared, then there shouldn’t be that comfort,” she said. “I think it’s unlikely that a child supervised with people around making noise is going to, out of the blue, get attacked by a coyote.”

Her advice to families is to be extra cautious.

“Be hyper vigilant right now, and make sure that you aren’t leaving pets or small children unattended, and that you’re doing your part to limit those resources that might be drawing coyotes closer to where people are living.”

A statement provided by the City of Orillia says it does not address wildlife issues.

"For non-emergency wildlife concerns, residents may seek advice from the Ministry of Natural Resources," the statement said. "Residents can help deter coyotes and other wildlife from their property by keeping it free from waste, not having pet food outside, and keeping small pets indoors."

The city's statement says if a resident feels an animal poses an immediate threat to public safety, concerns should be directed to the OPP.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry told OrilliaMatters that municipalities are responsible for addressing ongoing human-wildlife conflicts on municipal property. The ministry provides guidance to municipalities and landowners on preventing and managing these conflicts, including best practices, prevention strategies, and information on options available under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

The ministry says it does not track coyote observations and encourages residents to contact the City of Orillia for more information. If you encounter an aggressive coyote or there is a risk to public safety, the advice is to call 911.

The ministry also said relocating coyotes is not recommended. Coyotes are territorial, and Ontario is already saturated with existing breeding pairs. Relocation can result in fights and injury or death for both the translocated and resident coyotes, and radio-collared animals have been known to travel hundreds of kilometres back to their range. Moving coyotes can also spread disease to new populations.

The best way to prevent conflict, officials say, is to remove attractants. That means not feeding coyotes, either intentionally or unintentionally, by leaving garbage, bird seed, or pet food outdoors. Feeding coyotes can lead them to lose their fear of humans and become aggressive or dependent on human sources of food.

If residents do encounter an aggressive coyote, the ministry advises never to approach or touch it, never to run or turn your back, and instead to back away slowly while standing tall, waving your arms and making loud noises. Carrying a flashlight at night can also help scare them off.