Amid a public uproar over the Town of Middletown’s plan to euthanize Cliff the Coyote, Newport City Councilman John Florez has secured an agreement with Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare to hold off on the planned euthanization for 3 – 5 days to allow Florez to raise funds to have Cliff tranquilized and transferred to a zoo in Massachusetts.
In a statement Florez said:
“Last night I reached out to Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare and asked him if we could hold off on the scheduled killing of the Middletown Coyote (Cliff). I did so after speaking with Dr. Numi Mitchell who heads the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study. They are the group that’s been tracking the whereabouts of the Coyotes with a GPS device. I learned from her that we have a serious problem with the rapid proliferation of these creatures. Having small children and dogs I was especially concerned. I was further disturbed to learn that this coyote no longer feeds on Rabbits, Geese and Deer’s because of the abundance of food they find in trash cans and restaurant trash dumpsters. This particular specimen finds his way each night all the way down Lower Thames Street and then to the Dumpsters at Bowen’s Wharf and then back to Middletown. I started a crowd funding campaign to tranquilize and transport the Coyote to a Zoo in Massachusetts. I also have received assurances from members of the Middletown Council that they’d be willing to work with us here in Newport to come up with a long term, holistic and human strategy that will lower the population of these animals.”
Councilman Florez has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to have Cliff tranquilized and transferred to a zoo in Massachusetts.
“Cliff” the Coyote is a wild animal that has grown fearless of human contact. This behavior is the byproduct of humans feeding these animals and leaving garbage out.
This campaign has been created in conjunction with Dr. Numi Mitchell, the head of the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study. The money will be used to tranquilize and transport the Coyote to a zoo in Massachusetts. Members of the Newport and Middletown Councils have pledged to use this situation to raise awareness on this issue but also to pass legislation that will ultimately reduce the population of coyotes on Aquidneck Island.
I’d like to thank everyone in advance for your generous contribution.
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