A Montreal woman says her 10-year-old chihuahua was mauled to death by a coyote in a St. Michel park last week.
Francine Paulin says she was walking Quickie the chihuahua on the fringes of Frederic-Back Park at around midnight last Thursday, Sept. 14, when she and Quickie came face to face with a coyote.
She told the Journal de Montréal that right around the same time, her dog somehow managed to break free from his leash, and scampered toward the coyote, who then grabbed Quickie by the collar and ran away. "It took just a few seconds," she told the paper.
It's not the first time there've been coyote sightings in that area. Back in June, two Facebookers reported coyote sightings to the Spotted: Montreal Facebook page — one at Frederic-Back Park, the other at nearby Jean-Rivard Park. Both are located just steps away from the TOHU circus performance centre, just north of the Met.
Coyotes have also been spotted in recent months in places like Cote St. Luc, Kirkland and Pointe-Claire.
Last month, the city hired a trapper to hunt down and capture any renegade coyotes that may be springing up around town. As many as five people, including two children, have been bitten by coyotes this past summer.
The Montreal SPCA has created a page advising people what to do if they spot a coyote, and how to tell the difference between a coyote and another animal.