Coyote With Trap on Its Paw Has Been Killed

MIDDLETOWN, RI—The environmental police on Tuesday shot and killed a coyote that had been injured by a trap clamped on its paw, according to the state Department of Environmental Management.

The animal was spotted near the Sachuest Wildlife Refuge. The coyote ran into woods to escape but died after environmental police shot it twice.

According to Gail Mastrati, spokeswoman for DEM, the state veterinarian examined the coyote after it was dead. He "found that its leg sustained significant damages including numerous fractures, massive soft tissue loss, and complete strangulation of the animal’s leg distal to the trap; the animal’s leg was not salvageable. In addition to the irreparable injuries, the coyote suffered from malnutrition due to its inability to hunt with such a severely wounded leg."

DEM killed the coyote for humane reasons, she indicated. The environmental police had been on the lookout for the injured coyote since a Middletown resident reported seeing the animal limping with a trap on its leg.

"The Department first learned that a coyote with a leghold trap was seen in Middletown on March 7 and had made the welfare of this animal a priority since learning of it," she said.

Also, she said, the state vet and environmental police examined the trap on the animal's leg and confirmed the type of leghold trap is illegal in Rhode Island. Anyone with information regarding who may be involved with setting the trap for this animal should contact the Division of Law Enforcement at 401-222-3070, she said.

Here is the pertinent law.

"Under RI General Law Title 20-16-8, penalties for illegal traps shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or be imprisoned not exceeding one year, or both, and his or her trapping license and privilege to trap shall be revoked for one year from the date of conviction. Under RI General Law Title 4-1-5 anyone who maliciously wounds an animal is subject to a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1000."