Premier Doug Ford howls at Queen’s Park while addressing Markham coyote attacks

Police are warning people in the York Region to be careful, after coyotes attacked a child for the second time at a park in Markham this week. This time, a five-year-old was taken to hospital, but is expected to be okay.

Today, Premier Doug Ford chimed in, saying he’s not sure what can be done about the wild animals.

Premier Ford quite literally howled at Queen’s Park today, saying the coyotes are an issue, especially for families with young children or pets. But he didn’t offer any solutions.

When reporters asked if he could do that wolf howl for them, Ford howled.

Premier Doug Ford was howling outside the legislature today, responding to reporters’ questions about a terrifying coyote encounter over the weekend that sent a child to hospital.

“You’re going to think the cheese slipped off the cracker with me,” Ford said. “But one night I’m sitting there and they must’ve made a kill, and they’re screeching — I don’t know if you’ve ever heard them, but they’re screeching. So I went out there and I howled like a wolf, and they stopped instantly. No honestly.”

York Region Police are warning the public to be vigilant, after they say a coyote bit a five-year-old child in the area of Roy Rainey and Bur Oak avenues in Markham, around 7:30 Sunday evening.

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Vincent lives across the street from Bruce Boyd Parkette, and says his wife witnessed the attack.

“She started screaming,” Vincent said. “At the beginning she thinks it’s a small dog. So she saw people start chasing because all the people screaming.”

The child’s injuries are considered non-life-threatening, but the incident has spooked neighbours who live near the park, and the people who use it daily.

“I’m most worried about my brother’s safety, because he doesn’t want to go to the park by himself no more,” said one local resident.

“I’m a little alarmed and I guess we need to be more safe in the neighbourhood,” said another.

York Regional Police attempted to track the coyote, but the park is attached to a vast green space, and they were unable to locate it.

This is the second coyote attack in the area in the last week, after the animals bit a 16-year-old girl in a nearby residential area of Markham.

CHCH News asked the premier today what should be done about the coyotes, and if he’s considering culling the animals.

“Oh I don’t know. If you have a recommendation.” Ford said. “We can’t just knock ’em off, we’d have every animal activist group protesting up and down, including my four girls and my wife.”

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