State police troopers generally handle all kinds of crimes and investigations, including illegal drugs, guns and even organized crime. They also patrol state highways and help police areas without local law enforcement departments.
It’s also not unusual to get the occasional animal-in-distress call, but a Massachusetts state trooper was a little unprepared when he responded to a call about an injured dog in the road in Revere, Massachusetts on Sunday.
Trooper Carlo Mastromattei’s surprise wasn’t about the call to assist a dog, it’s just that it wasn’t a dog he found on the edge of a busy roadway near Suffolk Downs.
When Mastromattei pulled up to the small, frightened animal, he realized right away this was no dog. It was a tiny coyote pup that had lost its mother.
Mastromattei contacted environmental, wildlife and local animal control officials, but no one was available to help.
Local kennel owner Lisa Cutting did respond and was able to help the trooper secure the pup in a crate but Cutting couldn’t take the animal home.
Mastromattei’s girlfriend was, luckily, a big animal lover and she agreed to keep the little coyote overnight.
By Monday, Tufts Wildlife in North Grafton examined the baby and determined he was quite healthy. Wildlife specialists in the Berkshires agreed to take him and raise him so he can eventually be released back into the wild.
As for Mastromattei, he was just glad to be able to help, and officials with the Massachusetts State Patrol said they were thankful to both Mastromattei, his girlfriend and Ocean View Kennels for their assistance in the rescue.
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