ROME, N.Y. (UPDATED) – The CNY SPCA chief investigator says after testing, Cornell University has confirmed the animal a Rome man was found cooking on a makeshift grill last month was a coyote.
Police initially received an animal cruelty complaint about the man cooking a canine carcass outside of his home on Third Street. The investigation was turned over to the CNY SPCA, to determine whether the animal was a domestic dog or wild coyote. The animal carcass was then sent to Cornell for testing.
Although Cornell was 98% sure the animal was a coyote, they sent the remains to a DNA lab in California for testing. Those tests confirmed the animal was, in fact, a coyote.
Coyote hunting season is open in New York until March 28.
