Woman sues city, province after attacking coyotes kill pet feline
She alleges defendants failed to keep the streets safe for cat

Keith Fraser, The Province
Published: Wednesday, January 04, 2006

A Vancouver woman is suing the city and the B.C. government for allegedly failing to keep the streets safe after her pet cat was killed by two coyotes.

Judith Webster says her cat Neutron was attacked by the coyotes near her home on July 1 last year.

She says she rushed the cat to an animal emergency clinic and he was then transferred to a veterinary critical care hospital, but died of his injuries a week later.

In a statement of claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Webster says she's suffered and continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress and/or adjustment disorder, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of past and future earnings.

Webster says the city and province are "jointly and severally liable" for damages caused by negligence and for breach of fiduciary duty by failing to maintain safe streets and adequately warn the public about coyotes.

She also says the city in 1997 negligently adopted a policy of "co-existence" with coyotes and has, along with the province, failed to include coyote culling as part of their wildlife control programs. Webster, who is employed as a transcriptionist, is seeking general and special damages, costs and court-ordered interest.

A spokeswoman for the city said the city had not yet seen the writ and could not comment since the matter was before the courts.

A B.C. government spokes-man could not be reached for comment.