Police say no laws were violated after a severed head of a coyote, initially thought to be a dog, was found in a bag dumped near a park in Zion on Thursday.
A woman told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that her father came upon a white kitchen trash bag near 33rd Street and Ezekiel Avenue in Zion around 10 a.m. Thursday while performing litter pick-up.
The trash bag was unsealed and found on the edge of a ravine at Sharon Park.
A severed head, which police and animal control initially thought to be that of a German Shepherd, was inside the bag, the woman said.
The Zion Police Department said in a statement Friday that the head was determined to be a coyote, not a dog.
A coyote is not a “companion animal” as defined by the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act, the police department said.
A coyote is an “Authorized Species” as defined by the Illinois Wildlife Code.
“There was no evidence of any violation of the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act or Illinois Wildlife Code,” the statement said.
Police also said it is unknown whether a person cut off the head or if it was removed by another animal following death.
Illegal dumping is believed to be the only offense that occurred, the police department said.
No suspect information has been developed.
“There is no way to determine if the animal died naturally or not, whether it was caused by a person, or another animal,” police said.