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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, January 22, 2016 | 6 Let's live together It's cliché... Don't feed the animals. It's also the best advice from the Town of Oakville, Oakville and Milton Humane Society, and Toronto Wildlife Centre, on minimizing con ict with coyotes. The coyotes were here a long time ago and they're not going anywhere. We must live with them. That means not feeding them, intentionally, or otherwise, not interacting with them and not enticing them. That's the safest thing for us, our children, pets -- and the coyotes. By doing otherwise, we're encouraging the coyotes to come closer. That will bring them into con ict with humans. Usually, that will result in the coyote being a public safety danger and losing its life. You probably moved to Oakville, attracted by the family-friendly town with great schools, safe neighbourhoods, beautiful communities and lots of green space, which includes wildlife. And as development encroaches onto what used to be the `outskirts' of the town, it has encroached into areas inhabited by wildlife like coyotes. So now, we, and the coyotes, can be found frequenting local parks, strolling down neighbourhood streets. Lately, a coyote or two, at least one of which appears to be suffering from mange, a disease which renders the coyote cold through loss of fur and not as able to `hunt,' are frequent visitors. Reports have come in over and over again, coyotes strolling down sidewalks in the middle of the day, approaching students in schoolyards. So far, there are not as many reports of small dogs or cats being lost to the canines this year. It is January. It's nearing mating season for coyotes. Food supply is not as plentiful. The coyotes are adapting. That is being helped along by all of us, whether we know it or not. And experts are telling us we should start to know it. Apparently, students in the east end of town are feeding a coyote. Other residents let it play with their dogs in backyards. `Blondie', the OT coyote, plays with a soccer ball, say of cials. If you don't want coyotes around, feeding them will entice them. If you do like to see the wildlife, feeding them is a sure way to endanger their lives. Once fed, they will return looking for food. They will likely expect food to be at the common source. So, if a different person is there, or different scenario, they may get pushy as a reminder they're there for their food. If they get pushy in the wrong scenario, they will be deemed to be aggressive and, in a worst case scenario, could end up facing the wrong end of a gun should police be cornered into the position of defending the public safety against the coyote. Love them, or hate them -- and there does appear to be people in both camps -- the best answer for both is not to feed, entice or interact with the wildlife. That will reduce the potential for con ict and danger, for both human and coyote. Be smart, use common sense. Watch over young children, don't leave small pets unattended. Secure garbage. Don't dump trash in parks. Don't discard food outside. For a full list of tips on safety and living with coyotes, visit www.oakville.ca. Editorial C R I M E S T O P P E R S "Connected to your Community" M O N T H 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 54 | Number 7 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER KELLY MONTAGUE DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN Oakville Mayor Rob Burton (centre) presented a proclamation to Crime Stoppers of Halton's Jennifer Olchowy (past board chair) and Wally Trapper (board of directors), proclaiming January as Crime Stoppers Month in Oakville. Crime Stoppers of Halton is a community volunteer charitable organization separate from Halton Regional Police Service. Anonymity is guaranteed. Rewards of up to $2,000 are offered for information leading to an arrest. Contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting `Tip201' with a message to 274637 (crimes). | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager LORI ANN GZOVDANOVIC Director of Production MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Resident has close encounter with coyote There are large mobile signs around town that read, "Co-exist with coyotes and don't feed them." However, I need to point out, that with the old style, open metal garbage cans located at the entrance to each Town park; this is an open invitation for coyotes to hang out -- as I discovered rsthand. I was out for a walk around noon and literally stumbled upon this coyote. Needless to say, I was taken aback when I saw it. The other troubling thing is that the metal garage can was over owing with garbage and a green garbage bag was also beside it. Fellow Oakvillians -- please do not dump your garbage bags here. The other noticeable thing was that inside these cans is a mix of dog waste, leftover food and empty bottles and cans. We need to lobby Mayor Rob Burton and our local councillors to invest in recycling and lockable-type garbage bins, like you see outside shopping centres and other businesses. Letter to the Editor Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: | photo by Elaine Wood Parks are an obvious place for coyotes to hide... and to wait for their lunch or dinner. Elaine Wood, Oakville The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.