Coyote on the hunt (Flickr)

A word of caution from Wildsafe BC urging Kamloopsians to keep an eye out for coyotes in the region.

Since Coyotes enter mating season from early February to mid-March, Wildsafe BC’s Vanessa Isnardy says it increases the likelihood of an altercation between a coyote and a person’s pet.

“In Kamloops, there is a lot of great coyote habitat and coyotes tend to set up their dens anywhere where there is a ravine or up on the edges of the residential areas, and these are areas where we like to walk our pet.”
Isnardy stresses the importance of taking extra precautions during this time when it comes to their pets.

“If you are out walking your dog and you let them off leash, make sure you got a good recall for your pet, keep them close by,” she said.

“If you go to a place like Kenna Cartwright where there is high activity, you want to be more cautious and I would encourage people to keep their pet on a leash and keep them close.”

Additionally, Isnardy suggests avoiding taking your pet out at dusk and dawn, as that is when coyotes tend to be more actively hunting.

“But you know, coyotes may be seen during the daytime as well. It’s just always good to take proper precautions. We’ve had a lot of tragic stories where small pets have been taken from people, and it can happen any time of year, but picks up at this time of year.”

She says smaller dogs and cats are most likely to fall victim to a coyote.

“It’s unusual for larger dogs to be attacked by a coyote because they are the smaller size. So for them to stand off against a large dog is unusual, but smaller dogs and free-ranging cats definitely could be seen as prey.”

If anyone sees an aggressive coyote, they can report it to the conservation officer service at 1-877-952-7277.