By Michael Boriero
Sheila Quinn, a Knowlton resident, posted a video of coyotes howling into the night on Facebook last week, noting people should be cautious before letting their pets go outside unsupervised.
However, the presence of coyotes is not new in the Eastern Townships. Quinn admitted in an interview that having lived in the region her entire life, she is accustomed to hearing the occasional coyote, but that evening left her feeling unsettled.
“I don’t have chickens, my cats stay inside for many reasons, but I must say that I know the younger coyotes in particular have been known to attack humans, so that is something that concerns me,” she said, adding that the howling was coming from the Coldbrook Path.
Her youngest son used to walk down that path to get to school, between Knowlton Academy and St. Édouard. But Quinn also recognized that she lives in a rural area, and over the years, a lot of natural habitats have been taken away from local wildlife.
