Ravynne40 - in the initial taped report aired on CTV the owner admitted that the initial attack happened while her dog was off leash, and then the coyote's followed them after she had fastened the leash.
As well, if you listen to the entire video clip attached to the story, at the end people are suddenly considering leashing their dogs when they take them along those trails. Those trails are NOT designated as off leash and as such anyone walking their dogs off leash there, as well as in other locations like the Rouge Valley where incidents have been reported, are breaking city bylaws and should be charged not only with that but also with reckless endangerment as they are putting themselves and their animals at risk of being attacked.
I go birding alone all the time, run into coyotes occasionally, but preventative measures are simple - act big, make tonnes of noise, and don't run otherwise they'll think you're a food source. I wouldn't use dog spray, but that is entirely up to the person.
As far as hating this city, I have good reason to. I've lived here my entire life, and can remember a time up until the late 70's when we had wolf packs and deer running around just north of Sheppard Ave. People knew how to take precautions back then, and the wildlife population was a lot greater than it is now. I've seen the city grow and the attitudes of people change over that time as well, thinking and believing that they suddenly have to have wildlife cater to their needs instead of them trying to learn and understand how to accomodate what is left of the wildlife in this city and its outskirts. That's the same type of mentality that people who walk their dogs off leash in known coyote habituated areas adhere to - it's all about me, my needs, wants, and desires.
I'll end my rant there, but Lord knows I could go on for a lot longer.
