Police searching for person who set illegal coyote traps in Milton

MILTON, Mass. -- Police are investigating after a illegal snare trap lead to the death of one coyote in Milton.

Coyote sighting are pretty common in the town, which borders Boston and Quincy, but police said the traps are illegal.

Last week, a pregnant coyote was caught and killed in one of the traps.

“Numerous other snares were recovered in the area by the Milton Animal Control Officer, Milton Police Department, and Massachusetts Environmental Police. The use of snare traps is illegal in Massachusetts,” an Environmental Police statement said.

Donna Gillis lives on the street where these snare traps were found and says she was shocked.

“I would never set a trap. I’m an animal lover. I would never set a trap,” she said.  “I saw it on Facebook. they said it was a wooded area of Churchill Street.”

In January, a dog named Matilda was attacked while with her owner by a pack of coyotes near the Granite Links golf course.

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“The bigger of the four of them came towards me and then they started circling me and then I knew I was in it,” Matilda's owner Gary Maher said.

Matilda lost her leg after the attack.

Environmental police said attacks like that are rare. The department has released information on how to avoid coyotes and keep pets safe. And they want people to know that taking matters into your hands is illegal.

In an effort to find the person who set the traps, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office is examining the snare traps to look for fingerprints.

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