A trapper hired by the City of Ottawa has captured a coyote next to a yard where a pet dog was mauled to death by a coyote in December.

Paul Mussell had been setting up traps for five weeks when he finally found the animal inside one on Monday morning.

Photograph of a coyote taken in Greely, Ont., where the animals have been blamed for the disappearance of dogs and cats.
(Submitted to CBCNews.ca by Chris Blackburn)

The trap was on Blossom Trail Drive in Greely, a community in Ottawa's south end where coyotes have been blamed for a spate of disappearing dogs and cats.

Mussell is among three trappers hired by the city to tackle the problem.

Near where the coyote was trapped Monday, a Lhasa Apso named Kailis was attacked and killed by a coyote in December while her owner, Gillian Leyland, was inside her house.

Mussell said that when he found the animal in his trap, he was pleased for the community and for Leyland.

"She's grieved a lot," he said.

It is illegal to trap and release coyotes, Mussell added, so the only option for the captured animal is to have it destroyed.

Mussell's work isn't done yet.

"The next snowfall, we'll look for tracks and check the subdivisions to see if there's still coyotes going by the houses in that area," he said.

Derek Marcotte, Leyland's husband, said he's relieved by the capture and he praised Mussell's work with the traps.

"He's visiting them so regularly. He was even here Christmas Day," Marcotte said. "I'm glad to start to see some results. I think it's going to make the difference."

Osgoode Ward Coun. Doug Thompson, who represents the area that includes Greely, held a public meeting about the coyote problem last week.

Residents were encouraged to do their part by keeping tight lids on their garbage containers and not to put pet food or cats outside.