Pet coyote, which wasn't being aggressive towards anyone, killed after getting loose from owner

MARYLAND -- Officials say a coyote that was spotted running around loose in a Maryland neighborhood had been kept illegally as a pet.

The coyote was first seen on Wednesday morning near the Neptune's restaurant in North Beach, officials said.

It was determined to be someone's pet after deputies noticed that it was wearing a blue collar and a leash.

Deputies with the Calvert County Sheriff's Office and animal control responded to the report and caught it with the help of catch poles in the area of Frederick Ave. and 3rd Street. The animal was euthanized later that day.

The animal's owner, a resident of North Beach, came forward to claim the animal.  Officials say that the coyote was obtained as a puppy in Virginia. The age of the animal was not revealed.

Due to the possibility of rabies, the coyote was euthanized, officials say. The animal's body was sent to a lab in Baltimore for testing to determine if it had the viral disease.

It is illegal to own or possess a coyote in the state of Maryland. Charges are still pending for the owner, who has not been publicly identified.

Calvert County is Maryland’s smallest county in land area with 213 square miles. In 2011, it had a population of around 90,000.

(Daily Mail - Aug 27, 2015)