'It's terrifying': Two dogs killed in West Kelowna by coyotes

A West Kelowna woman is warning dog owners to keep their pets close as her dogs were killed by coyotes earlier this week.

Christine Ginther said her father, a wheelchair user, had let her three dogs outside at Green Acer’s mobile home park in their fenced yard at around 7 a.m. yesterday, Feb. 10, when they were attacked.

“It’s terrifying, because I still have a dog who we don’t even want to put outside and we’ve lost two members of our family,” she said. “I’m wildlife aware, and my dad is wildlife aware and we were still caught off guard.”

A group of four coyotes jumped the fence and dragged Cici, a Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix, over the fence. The other two dogs fought the coyotes and Ginther’s father, who had fallen out of the wheelchair, dragged himself across the yard into the middle of the fray.

Her other dog, Bean, a Jack Russell mix, was killed by the coyotes and Ginther said her dad fought the coyote to recover the body.

Then they left back over the fence, leaving her last dog Buddy, a Pomeranian-bulldog, with minor injuries and her father with scratches.

Ginther called conservation officers, who told her it was likely a family of coyotes who were teaching their pups to hunt.

“Unfortunately, my dogs were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she said.

Growing up in Peachland, she’s never seen a coyote act this way. They’ve heard them howling before but never expected to be attacked in broad daylight.

“They were too fast and too aggressive,” she said.

Buddy was brought to Rose Valley Veterinary Clinic and is expected to make a full recovery.

READ MORE: How to keep yourself, pets safe during coyote mating season in southern Interior

“It is rare pets are killed by coyotes but coyote breeding season is upon us,” said conservation officer Ken Owens, via an emailed statement. He said no coyotes have been euthanized at this time.

“Coyotes typically have a highly organized social system, even in urban areas. This consists of packs, or groups of coyotes that defend territories during the breeding season from other coyotes or domestic dogs," Owens said.

To prevent coyote attacks on pets, he said don’t feed coyotes, do not let pets run loose, do not run from a coyote and report any signs of aggressive or fearless coyotes to the Conservation Officer Service RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.

Fencing or repellants in a yard may help deter them, he said.

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