Wounded coyote spotted in Saugus

LYNN – The Saugus Police telephone lines were ringing off the hook over the weekend as multiple residents called to report an injured coyote limping through town.According to the Saugus Police log, a resident on Hood Street called Friday at 12:30 p.m. to report that a coyote came by her home twice and appeared to be injured. Canine Control Officer Harold Young responded but couldn?t find the animal.At around 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, a resident on Austin Court reported a coyote on the bicycle path that appeared to be limping. But once again the animal proved to be to elusive.About an hour later, a resident reported a coyote at Vermont Avenue and Central Street, and at 6:50 p.m. officer Matthew Donahue reported that a resident stopped him and advised him there was an injured coyote in the area of Venice Avenue. Donahue stated in the log that he located the animal at the end of Saugus Avenue, but after he exited his vehicle to check, the coyote sprinted into the woods.The final call came in at around 5 p.m. on Sunday when a caller reported an injured coyote on Ruby Road.Young described the coyote as a medium-sized male and a “smart cookie.”?He?s got routes and follows the trash routes,” said Young. “He knows the days when your trash is being put out. He hasn?t bothered anybody but he?s just searching for food.”Young said residents should keep their small pets secure, noting coyotes can jump a five-foot fence.?Small animals are perfect prey for them,” said Young. “They don?t look at them like pets, they look at them as food.”If they spot a coyote, residents should bang pots and pans together or use an air horn to scare them off, and call Saugus Police and the state environmental police, said Young.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].