2.6 C
Niagara Falls
Friday, March 29, 2024
Video of coyote confrontation causes concern

NOTL social media was abuzz this week after two videos circulated of a young woman and her small dog being chased by a coyote on Sunday.

The woman, 30-year-old Isabella Pisano, was walking her dog Charlie near her family home on Gate Street when the coyote began to stalk and then chase her.

In one of the videos, she begins to panic and run after she notices the coyote behind her.

In the midst of her blood-curdling screams, NOTL resident Tim Balasiuk, who had been watching the incident from his truck and tried to cut the coyote off, got out of the vehicle and chased the animal away.

Isabella’s mother Filomena said her daughter was in shock after the incident.

She said she sent the video to Lord Mayor Betty Disero in hopes the town will do something to stop future incidents.

“(My daughter) doesn’t even want the coyote hurt. She just wants the town to move him,” Filomena said.

“Get this beast off our streets.”

The Town of NOTL has stated that provincial law prevents the town from simply moving a wild animal.

One kilometre is the maximum distance an animal can be moved and it's expected that would not deter a coyote from returning.

Filomena Pisano praised Balasiuk for his efforts to protect her daughter and dog.

“Tim saved our dog's life,” she said.

She said she rewarded him with a bottle of Two Sisters wine.

Reached by phone, Balasiuk, who operates Paddle Niagara, said he thinks the coyote needs to be removed.

“I know that its behaviour has been out of the ordinary, so obviously something needs to be done,” he said.

He suspects it may be just one coyote using Two Mile Creek to travel between Garrison Village and John Street.

“Everyone’s like, 'Coyotes are out of control' — like no. Wile E. Coyote is out of control.”

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