The City of Toronto is investigating after members of a Scarborough neighbourhood say an aggressive coyote has approached several residents and attacked a dog in the area last week.

The coyote sightings have occurred near a group of townhouses in the area of Warden Avenue and St. Clair Avenue East.

Speaking to CTV News Toronto, Audrey Liu said she was gardening at her home in the neighbourhood on Monday morning when the coyote nipped her pant leg.

“I felt my pant pulled so I turned around quickly and I saw the coyote behind me,” she said, adding that she froze until a neighbour came running and made noise to scare the animal away.

Shahzeen Jiwani said she was out with her dog Momo for a morning walk when she encountered an aggressive coyote.

“When I turned around, I see the coyote facing my dog right about to take a bite and what I did was I pulled the leash as soon as I could and I started screaming at the coyote,” she told CTV News Toronto.

“The coyote didn’t listen, started getting closer to us, I panicked I started to run, screaming for help and the coyote started chasing us across the street until someone heard me and they told me to run into their garage.”

Last week, Dorothy Kwan said a coyote attacked her dog Macy while her 10-year-old daughter was taking their pet for a walk.

The dog, the family said, tried to protect the young girl while they were being chased by the coyote and suffered puncture wounds in the attack.

The dog spent several nights at the emergency vet in intensive care, they said.

“What I want done is for … [the government] to capture this animal, they know which one it is. Relocate it, euthanize it. Right now, it is not scared of people and that poses a great danger to us in our community and our pets,” she said.

The City of Toronto confirmed that it is aware of the reports and is investigating.

“An attack or bite on another animal is not grounds for removal. If there is a bite to a human, the incident will be investigated and could result in the coyote being trapped and humanely euthanized,” the city said.

Mayor John Tory said Tuesday that staff is working with the Ministry of Natural Resources, animal control, and some other community organizations to deal with the situation in the Scarborough neighbourhood.

"There are things one can do to discourage the coyotes from inhabiting neighborhoods and being around people," Tory said.

"The number one thing people can do and I plead with them to please cooperate with it with us in this regard, do not feed the coyotes. There are people who think it's cute, or helpful somehow or compassionate to feed the coyotes when in fact it's exactly the opposite."

-With files from CTV News Toronto’s Austin Delaney