Mississauga residents can report coyote sightings with an interactive map and online reporting system. The map – created by the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) team and powered by ESRI – will allow residents to conveniently report coyote sightings and for Mississauga Animal Services to better track coyote reports. This new system should not be used for immediate reports about sick/injured coyotes or animals posing a risk to the public.

The new system will help Animal Services target areas for patrols and community outreach and education about animal-related concerns. This includes awareness on how to keep families and pets safe, and investigating concerns about wildlife feeding.

Map users can view all confirmed coyote sightings as dots on the map. The map can also be filtered by report types (e.g., regular sightings, feeding, sick/mange) and sightings by year (2019 and 2020) and month.

To report a coyote sighting online, users can access the reporting form through the map. From there, they can log their sighting by including the location, date, time and type (i.e., observed, feeding, mange).

Residents can still continue to report coyote sightings (including sick/injured and other animals posing a risk to the public) by calling 311 or Animal Services dispatch at 905-615-3000.

Coyotes, like any urban wildlife in Mississauga, are common in communities. Animal Services would like to remind residents that coyotes are an important part of our ecosystem, are normally shy and will avoid human contact.

Coyote safety tips:

·       Do not feed coyotes (including any other wildlife) as it is prohibited under the Animal Care and Control By-law and is often linked to bold behaviour.

·       Supervise pets when outdoors (including backyards) and keep them on a six-foot leash.

·       Keep cats indoors.

·       If you encounter a coyote – stay calm, don’t turn your back, stand tall and make loud noises and startling movements.

For more information about Mississauga Animal Services including city wildlife, visit mississauga.ca/animalservices.