Coyote ( Canis latrans ) Interactions With Humans and Pets Reported in the Canadian Print Media (1995–2010).

Interactions with coyotes are a growing management concern in urban North America. We conducted a content analysis of 453 articles addressing coyote events reported in the Canadian print media between 1995 and 2010. There were 119 articles about human–coyote interactions: 32 involved a coyote biting (26) or attempting to bite (6) a person. The first record of a coyote-caused human mortality in Canada occurred in 2009. Ninety-one incidents involved dogs, including 38 cases of coyote-caused dog mortality, of which 34 were small dogs. Eighteen small dogs were attacked in yards and eight attacks were preempted if a person intervened. Dogs were off leash in 92.3% of encounters; larger dogs were most frequently attacked while chasing coyotes. There were 32 reports of attacks on cats, and all were fatal. Avoiding food conditioning of coyotes, educating the public, and managing human behavior are discussed as means to facilitate coexistence with urban coyotes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]