'I could have lost my daughter': Pack of coyotes stalks girl in P.E.I.

A mom on P.E.I. wants some coyotes in her area dealt with after her 17-year-old daughter was stalked by a pack of them while riding her pony last month.

On July 2, Sam Johnston went for a ride on her pony, Mr. Billy, not far from her family's property in Dunstaffnage, P.E.I.

Johnston said she saw what looked like a German shepherd, but it was actually a coyote.

Within seconds, four more coyotes appeared and all five of them rantowards her in a V formation, she said.

'I could have lost my daughter'

"I was in shock and my adrenaline was pumping when ever I seen it," said Johnston.

Instinct took over, she explained, and she started screaming, waving her arms and slapping her leg to intimidate the encroaching pack.

Her pony started to get antsy, but she remained on his back. Thanks to her frantic motions, the coyotes started to retreat.

That gave Johnston a chance to flee herself and ride Mr. Billy home, unscathed.

"I was very scared it was pretty emotional," said Johnston's mom Shelley Fraser. "I could have lost my daughter if something would have happened."

'Don't tell me they won't come after a kid'

"I won't go out alone anymore I'm too afraid to go out alone," Johnston said. Her mother won't let her go out anyway with coyotes on the loose.

"Watch your kids, don't let them go off alone right now. Not in this area," she said.

"They came after my daughter on a pony, don't tell me they won't come after a kid," said Fraser.

'My nerves are shot'

This is not the first time the family has spotted coyotes near their home.

"These coyotes are a problem. They have been in this area for the last four years," Fraser said, saying she wants something to be done about them.

"My nerves are shot."

Fraser has been in touch Garry Gregory, a wildlife biologist with the province.

"An incident where somebody feels threatened or feels like their safety is compromised by the coyotes is something we definitely take seriously," Gregory said.

"We will attempt to set up a site visitand gather more information."

Gregory added, however, that in the vast majority of cases humans are not in danger when they encountercoyotes. His advice is not to panic, but rather try to frighten the animalsaway.

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