The coyote that was captured after biting a 6-year-old boy in Lincoln Park earlier this month will not be euthanized.
The coyote, which was caught by Chicago Animal Care and Control Jan. 9 and underwent DNA testing to confirm it bit the 6-year-old on Jan. 8, may had been aggressive due to an injury from a BB gun, Chicago Animal Control officials said.
"Through evaluation, it was determined that the animal had been shot in the chest with a BB gun, which could have caused the limp in its movements as well as the aggressive behavior," CACC said in a statement Sunday.
Some Chicagoans were concerned for the well-being of the coyote but Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation said the animal, which is in their care, will not be euthanized. They also named it "Mercy."
Mercy will not be returned to the wild, according to a Facebook post from rehabilitation center. Instead, it will be "in a permanent educational setting with specifics yet to be determined."
"Coyotes are the most misunderstood wild animal in the Chicago area," according to a pamphlet from Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation. "The best way to deal with coyotes is to coexist peacefully with them."
