Students at Tufts' veterinary school got some extra hands-on experience when they treated an injured coyote that had been found limping through Boston's North End neighborhood on Jan. 14.
Workers from Boston Animal Control responded to a call from Boston Police at around 5:30 p.m. They restrained the animal, and when the veterinarian at the Animal Rescue League of Boston was unavailable, Animal Control transported it to the Cummings School in Grafton, Mass.
"We transport a lot of animals to Tufts," said Alan Borgal, director of law enforcement at the Animal Rescue League.
Assistant Professor Florina Tseng worked closely with a number of students and interns to treat the male coyote at the school's wildlife clinic, where it has resided for the past four nights. The coyote received various tests and treatments.
"He was brought to us really for evaluations," said Tom Keppeler, associate director of communications for the Cummings School. The coyote was screened for many things, including rabies and mange, but all tests were negative.
The coyote had only superficial wounds. "His paws were a little scratched up," he said. "We gave him a full workup ... He's actually in really good shape," Keppeler said.
The coyote is young, male and healthy; he has been sleeping normally and eating well, Keppeler said. "He's not been too traumatized by this," he said.
The coyote is scheduled to be released today. Keppeler said the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) will decide where to release him.
The coyote was captured at 165 North Washington St. in the North End, Borgal said. Since this location is near a bridge that leads to Charlestown, Chelsea, Somerville and many other areas, the origins of the coyote are difficult to determine.
South Boston, Charlestown, Chelsea and Somerville all have "pocket areas" with woods from which the coyote may have originated. But the coyote would have had to travel a long distance to make it to the congested, urban area of the North End.
Borgal suspected that the young creature may have become disoriented due to the preceding snow storm. He said that it is currently mating season for coyotes, and families often split apart during this season, sometimes leaving the younger coyotes to wander off and become lost.
MassWildlife will release the coyote with a radio collar to track it, according to Keppeler.
"I don't imagine that that will be back into the North End," Keppeler said.
