- A Massachusetts family accidentally brought home a coyote pup they thought was a lost puppy.
- The family found the young coyote on the side of a road, according to a local wildlife center.
- The pup is now rehabilitating at the center before being introduced to a foster sibling.
A Massachusetts family accidentally brought home a young coyote they confused for a lost puppy, according to the New England Wildlife Center.
In a Tuesday Facebook post, the non-profit organization shared a photo of the Eastern coyote pup and described how he was found "wandering and distressed" on the side of a busy road.
Once the family realized the coyote was not a dog, they reached out to the New England Wildlife Center Cape Branch for help. The organization said it worked with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to determine there was no exposure risk for rabies.
A representative for the New England Wildlife Center confirmed with Insider that the Cape Branch received the coyote pup on April 23, and also shared the pup will be rehabilitated at the organization's facility in Barnstable, Massachusetts. According to the Facebook post, he is "recovering comfortably" in an isolation ward.
The representative also confirmed that a foster sibling for the pup recently arrived from the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island. The Facebook post said the two pups will be raised together in a large outdoor caging once they both receive their vaccinations.
"We work hard to give them as much of a natural upbringing as possible, and will work to replicate the essential behaviors and skills they learn from mom and dad," the post reads.
The Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The New England Wildlife Center's Facebook post noted that although everything worked out for the young pup, the situation could have been a lot different if he had rabies. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, coyotes are either known as rabies vectors or are considered likely to have the potential to transmit rabies. The wildlife center wrote that if the finders had been scratched, bitten, or had extended contact with the coyote, the pup would have been euthanized and tested for the disease.
"We are grateful to every single person who takes time out of their day to help wildlife when they are [in] need, but we always encourage people to call the appropriate resources prior to intervening," the post concluded.