Officials are reminding people to be wary of coyotes near the University of Waterloo after a jogger was bitten by one of the animals last week.
It happened Nov. 12 around 6 p.m. when the Special Constable Service at the university got a report that a community member not affiliated with the school was bitten on school property.
The woman was jogging north along a pathway from Health Service Road to Ron Edyt Village. She “was able to kick the coyote and escape to safety,” a statement from the university said.
She received shots and went to the hospital for further treatment. Hospital staff reported it to public health; university staff told police and the local humane society about the incident.
Seek medical help immediately, public health warns
Region of Waterloo Public Health told CBC News that anyone bitten by a wild animal should seek medical help immediately and follow up with public health.
“At public health what we do is we deal with bites from animals, so a bite from an animal that is infected with rabies is the most common way rabies is spread,” said Marla Rocca, a manager in the health protection division for Region of Waterloo Public Health.
Rocca said public health officials can monitor a domesticated animal, but with a wild animal. that isn’t always possible.
“If someone is bitten by a wild animal … we can’t observe or confine the animal at this time. The the public health inspector will work with the person who’s bitten to ensure that proper post-exposure care is received, and this could include rabies vaccinations,” Rocca said.
Last Friday, another sighting was reported by a university staff member, but there was no interaction with the coyote.
“Our campus is surrounded by wooded areas, which we share with urban wildlife,” the university said on its website.
“With winter approaching, fallen leaves increase visibility and access to food is limited, so sightings will be more common.”
The City of Waterloo warns people to keep their distance if a coyote is spotted.
They offer these safety tips:
Stay calm and keep your distance.
Never approach or feed a coyote.
Be big and loud, stand tall, wave your arms, clap your hands, bang pots and pans.
Slowly back away; do not turn your back or run (running can trigger a chase instinct).
Carry a flashlight to scare off coyotes at night.
The city said a person only needs to report a coyote sighting when there is an immediate safety risk.