A coyote known affectionately as Wendy, a familiar sight in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, has been euthanized after suffering devastating injuries from a gunshot. The animal was taken in by the non-profit Wildlife Care of Southern California last month after residents noticed severe deformities on her face.
Scans revealed that Wendy had been shot in the head, resulting in a shattered jawbone and two pellets lodged within her skull. A chronic infection had set in, destroying much of her face from her left eye to the tip of her nose. Veterinarians also noted that Wendy appeared to have been hit by a car, which likely exacerbated her injuries.
Wildlife Care of Southern California stated that the coyote was unable to eat solid food, had difficulty breathing, was blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and had lost most of the bone on the left side of her face. "Surgery would have involved removing half of her face; this would be cruel to a wild animal and require long-term invasive and painful handling and treatment," the organization said in a Facebook post. "For a wild coyote, this would have meant that she could never return to the life and freedom she deserved, even in a captive setting. This is no life for a 3-year-old coyote."
Southern California Pit Bull Rescue has since stepped forward, offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for shooting Wendy. The organization highlighted Wendy's resilience, noting that "Despite everything she endured, Wendy fought to survive. She crossed streets, searched for food, and somehow kept going while carrying injuries no animal should ever have suffered."
The rescue is urging the public to come forward with any information, emphasizing that even small details could help identify the perpetrator. The community has expressed widespread grief and heartbreak over Wendy's fate, with many commenting on social media about the brutality of the attack.
Coyotes are among the most persecuted wild carnivores in North America. In the wild, they typically live between three to six years, though their lifespan can extend to 14 years in captivity. The discharge of firearms, pellet guns, or other weapons is illegal within Los Angeles city limits.