The Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON -- Autopsies have determined animal carcasses found last week in a freezer of a restaurant were coyotes, not dogs.

The carcasses -- skinned, gutted and frozen -- were found Nov. 4 in a walk-in freezer at Panda Garden Seafood Restaurant.

John Lear, a spokesman for Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, said a scientist with the fish and wildlife forensic laboratory completed the autopsies Monday. Bob McClymont compared the carcasses with scientific literature on wolves, dogs and coyotes, Mr. Lear said.

He drew his conclusions after measuring the length of different bones, and the positioning and size of the animals' teeth.

It is illegal to sell the meat of any wild species in Alberta. An investigation into the discovery continues.