© Kimberly Johnson/CTV News OttawaCTV's Kimberley Johnson spotted several coyotes at Lalande Conservation Park on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
The mother of a 14-year-old boy says her son was attacked by three coyotes in the park. CTV News Ottawa has agreed not to share her identity over privacy concerns.
She says her son was biking home through the park at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Thursday when a coyote started charging at him without provocation. Two more then came from the side.
"One of them was clamped to his shoe and then the other one got to his leg," she said.
"There was three of them, one was pretty big. He said it pretty much at his waist, and the other one a little bit smaller, and the other one a little bit smaller than that."
She said he threw his bike and helmet at the coyotes to try to dislodge them from this leg but continued to be attacked. He managed to sprint away and climb on top a nearby rock.
After waiting a few minutes, he attempted to climb back down the rock to get his bike, but the animals continued to howl, growl and bark.
"He said it sounded like there were a dozen of them but really there was just three," she said.
He eventually decided to sprint away from the scene as fast as he could, jumping down from the rock before jumping a fence to a nearby school.
"You have to pick me up. I was attacked. I was attacked," she said her son told her when he called her after escaping.
She says he is now healing at home from injuries to his left leg, with scrapes and scratches from the back of the calf from the knee to the ankle. He was taken to CHEO where he was treated for rabies as a precaution.
She says the incident was shocking. Despite being aware of coyotes in the park, they never thought they could be dangerous.
"He was in shock that day, he couldn't believe that happened," she said.
"I think he'll be fine, I think he's got a lot of support around him, but I hope it doesn't happen elsewhere because it could be different depending on who it is."
Officials say coyote attacks against humans are extremely rare. Police are investigating two coyote attacks in Markham, Ont. last month.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter