LASALLE -- A cull is not the answer to solving the coyote problem in LaSalle.
That is what residents heard during a public meeting held Thursday night.
The open house allowed residents to speak to staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources as well as people from animal welfare groups and town officials.
MNR Resource Management Technician Steven Rowswell says residents can do their part by keeping garbage containers sealed, gardens well fenced and bird feeders from overflowing.
Rowswell tells CTV News a coyote cull may make matters worse.
“If a cull was done or something like that, ultimately the wildlife that were taken would then be replaced by new ones that would move in because they're attracted to those things,” says Rowswell. “Ultimately, the main way to minimize conflicts and minimize coyote presence is to get rid of those attractants.”
Another recommendation for residents was having motion-sensitive lighting.
Council requested the meeting after hearing a number of concerns from residents, who said coyotes were attacking their small pets.
Lori Quaggiotto's dog was attacked and killed by a coyote in the Bouffard Road area on June 4.
Another dog in LaSalle was badly injured after a run-in with a coyote on Bouffard Road on June 23.
Findings from the public meeting will be prepared in a report to town council who will make a decision on whether to introduce a new bylaw to control coyotes in the area.
