How I spent my morning:

[urbpan]

ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS SUBDUE INJURED COYOTE IN ROXBURY

At about 9:00am this morning, Wednesday, February 3, 2010, officers from Area B-2 (Roxbury) responded to a radio call to assist Animal Control with an injured coyote in the area of 120 Howard Ave. On arrival, officers spoke with Animal Control who stated that a coyote had been struck by a motor vehicle and appeared to be badly injured. Given the animal’s injuries and fearing the possibility or probability of attack, officers proceeded to make efforts to contain and capture the animal. After containing the animal in rear yards in the area of 98 and 100 Wayland Streets, officers contacted the Franklin Park Zoo in efforts to obtain a tranquilizer gun. With the gun on scene and the perimeter secured, members of the Franklin Park Zoo were able to subdue the animal by the using the tranquilizer gun. The animal was then transported to away from the scene by Animal Control.

Same story slightly different details:

Injured coyote euthanized in Dorchester

By Stefanie Geisler, Globe Staff

A severely injured coyote was tranquilized and then euthanized this morning after it was spotted limping through the streets of Dorchester.

At about 8:20 a.m., Boston Animal Control received a report of an injured coyote running loose on Hartford Street and into surrounding backyards. Shortly afterward, the coyote was found in the yard of 100 Wayland St., a short distance from the original sighting.

A veterinarian from the Franklin Park Zoo was called to the scene and was able to tranquilize the animal. Due to the severity of the male coyote’s injury, it was then euthanized.

Charles Rudack, director of Boston Animal Control, said coyote sightings are becoming increasingly common in the city.

“In the last three weeks, we’ve probably had anywhere between three to eight calls per day for coyotes,” Rudack said.

He said the increase is due in part to the time of year. The animals’ breeding season is from January to March.

“This is why it’s very imperative that people be aware of their environment if they’re walking in a park or in the woods by themselves or with their animals,” Rudack said.

He added that people should remember to leash their dogs.

“Oftentimes, if an animal comes in contact with the wildlife, it’s because [the pet] is off-leash,” he said. “Had the dogs been on-leash, they wouldn’t have come in contact.”

Rudack said the euthanized coyote may have been struck by a car, resulting in an injury that left its hind leg dragging. As a precautionary measure, the animal will be brought to the state lab in Jamaica Plain, where it will be tested for rabies. It was not reported to have come in contact with any people.

“Stay clear of all wildlife, whether it be coyotes, raccoons, possums, whatever,” Rudack advised. “They might look nice, but they’re unpredictable. Appreciate them from a distance.”

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So what is interesting to me about these stories is the different emphasis in each headline. In the police press release, the animal was "subdued." A public safety threat was rendered neutral. In the Globe story the animal was "Euthanized." The emphasis is on the animal's death--sympathy with the animal. Not sure what to make of it all, but it was a very interesting experience. Sadly, the first coyote I've seen in Boston (and although the sources disagree on which neighborhood it was, it was a very dense residential neighborhood not very close to big parks) but I have seen lots of tracks around.