Brampton woman bitten in suspected coyote attack
Graeme Frisque
Southern Ontario, Canada
BRAMPTON – A Brampton woman is undergoing rabies treatment after reporting that she had been bitten by a coyote in front of her home on Mountain Ridge Rd. on Thursday night.
Jasmin Bajaj and her family had just arrived home at around 9 p.m. when she realized that she forgot something in her car.
When she went back out to the driveway, she said a large coyote snuck up behind her and bit her in the leg, leaving two large puncture wounds on her calf.
“I don’t know where it came from. I felt something grab hold of my leg and it was really hurting me. When I turned around I saw a big coyote standing right in front of me,” said Bajaj.
“When I saw it was a coyote I was shocked and didn’t really know what to do.”
With no one else around and only a set of keys in hand, she began shaking the keys at the animal which made it back off, but not retreat. Bajaj then says that she slowly backed up towards the safety of her front door while the animal continued follow and stare at her until she got into the house, which is located in the area of located Steeles Ave.and Mississauga Rd.
“I wouldn’t say that he was scared because he just backed off a bit and was looking at me in the eyes the whole time,” said Bajaj. “I didn’t run because I read that you aren’t suppose to.. He followed me to the edge of the grass right by the front steps. I opened the door and yelled for my husband – when he came, the coyote was still standing there.”
Residents say that this isn’t the first time that people have had close encounters with coyotes that are believed to live in a nearby ravine.
Perminder Dhuck, whose house backs onto the ravine, claims to have heard reports in the neighbourhood of an elderly woman being attacked in a similar manner in the summer.
“I usually see the coyotes after 9 p.m. They walk up the street and then make their way to the trail that goes down to the water,” said Dhuck. “There are three of them in a pack… Normally I see them almost every other day.”
Dhuck said that he was warned when he bought the house that because of the proximity to the ravine, that he and other residents should expect encounters with wildlife.
Bajaj is still undergoing painful rabies treatments as a precautionary measure which include a series of shots. She says that neighbours have been concerned about the coyotes for some time and are passing around a petition, demanding the City of Mississauga take action.
Meanwhile, the City has posted signs in the area warning residents to avoid the ravine at dawn and dusk and have also placed traps to capture the offending animal.
original story:
http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/4979165-brampton-woman-treated-for-rabies-after-suspected-coyote-attack/
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