WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — It turns out those dark-colored “coyotes” seen roaming around Warwick aren’t coyotes after all.
Warwick Police Chief Bradford Connor said they’re actually two dogs that were intentionally set free over the weekend.
Officers spent hours Thursday morning chasing the dogs, which are believed to be wolf hybrids. The 6-month-old siblings, named Libby and Bella, were caught just before noon near Oakland Beach and brought to the Warwick Animal Shelter, according to the police chief.
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The dogs were first spotted earlier this week by residents who initially reported seeing dark-colored “coyotes” sauntering down the street, running through yards and chasing with one another.
The city initially warned residents not to approach or feed the “coyotes.” It wasn’t until the dogs’ original owner came forward that officers realized the playful pups were actually someone’s pets.
The dogs’ original owner told investigators he used to live on Powhatan Street. When he moved to Woonsocket, he decided to leave the dogs behind with the two residents who still lived in his old home.
Those residents, identified as 32-year-old Andrew Sanville and 29-year-old Amanda Bray, have since been arrested and charged after police determined they intentionally let the dogs out.
“They abandoned those two dogs,” Connor said. “They had set them free.”
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Police searched the original owner’s former home after he mentioned that there may be other animals living there, according to the police chief.
Officers searched the vacant home, which Connor said was in deplorable condition, and didn’t find any other animals. The house has since been boarded up and condemned by the city.
The animals believed to have been living there, which turned out to be seven other dogs and 19 cats, were eventually traced to a home on Seaview Avenue. Those animals were brought to the Warwick Animal Shelter.
Sanville and Bray have both been charged with animal cruelty, abandonment of animals, improper care of dogs and failure to vaccinate against rabies. Bray was released on personal recognizance, while Sanville is being held as a probation violator.
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Meanwhile, Mayor Frank Picozzi said the Warwick Animal Shelter will be testing the dogs’ DNA to determine their exact breeds. Picozzi said right now, their future is uncertain since it is illegal to own wolf hybrids in Rhode Island.
The mayor said it will take four to six weeks for the results to come back.
The dogs’ original owner is not facing any charges at this time.
