WPRO News

What were first thought to be coyotes roaming the Oakland Beach section of Warwick turn out to be dogs, “perhaps a wolf hybrid”, says Mayor Frank Picozzi.

Picozzi says the owner has been located and police are investigating the entire matter.

“The alleged owner went into the police department last night and told them they were dogs,” Picozzi told WPRO’s Gene Valicenti on Thursday morning. “He had left them behind because he had moved to Woonsocket and someone else was taking care of them.”

“We suspect they’re a shepherd – wolf hybrid, which aren’t legal to have,” Picozzi said.

“I saw them for the first time yesterday evening, last night, and they certainly walked like a … to me they walked like a dog, but what the heck do I know?,” he said.

Picozzi said Thursday morning that he was back at Oakland Beach as officials try to locate and corral the animals. On his social media feed, he said more informaiton will be released later today.