NORTH BEACH, Md. (AP) —Authorities say a coyote spotted running loose with a leash in southern Maryland has been captured and euthanized.

The Calvert County Sheriff's Office said that the coyote was spotted near Neptune's Seafood Pub in North Beach on Wednesday morning. Deputies and an animal control officer captured it a few blocks away. Officials say a North Beach resident went to the sheriff's office claiming to be the owner and Natural Resources Police learned the coyote was obtained as a puppy in Virginia.

Officials say the coyote was euthanized because of the possibility of rabies exposure. The sheriff's office says the coyote later tested negative for rabies.

It is illegal to possess a coyote in Maryland and officials say charges are pending against the owner.