“[She was] seen standing in the street or at people’s doors looking for help.”
Residents of Studio City, California, first began noticing the coyote last summer.
At first, she seemed like any other wild animal moving through the neighborhood.
Then people saw her face.
The coyote, later named Wendy, had a large swelling or mass around her face that immediately raised concerns about her health.
Before long, people throughout the neighborhood were watching for her and trying to figure out how to get her help.
“She has made quite a few friends in the area, seen standing in the street or at people’s doors looking for help,” Wildlife Care of Southern California wrote on Facebook.
But rescuing Wendy proved much more difficult than anyone expected.
For nearly a year, she repeatedly managed to avoid capture.
Teams from East Valley Shelter, Southern California Pit Bull Rescue and concerned local residents all tried to help.
Then Wildlife Care of Southern California joined the effort in July.
Although Wendy’s injury looked alarming, rescuers were encouraged by how active she remained.
“Her activity level and body condition are really good, all positive signs, but we will not know her prognosis until she is caught, examined and X-rayed by our vet,” the rescue wrote.
Meanwhile, local residents continued doing everything they could to keep her safe.
They made sure Wendy had access to food and regularly shared sightings with rescuers, helping them track her movements around the neighborhood.
Those updates eventually paid off.
As August came to an end, rescuers finally managed to capture Wendy and bring her into the care of Wildlife Care of Southern California.
“It takes a village; We couldn’t have done it without them,” the rescue wrote.
After spending so long surviving outdoors with an untreated injury, Wendy was finally able to rest.
Her caregivers started her on antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication and pain relief, then settled her into a kennel with blankets, food and a quiet place to recover.
As rescuers investigated her history, they learned something that gave them reason to be hopeful.
Wendy had apparently been struck by a vehicle more than a year earlier, with the impact affecting her face.
That suggested the large swelling may have been caused by trauma rather than a tumor.
If that proves correct, her condition could be much more treatable than rescuers initially feared.
Wendy is now awaiting a full veterinary examination and X-rays so her team can determine exactly what treatment she needs next.
After a year of failed rescue attempts, the frightened coyote is finally somewhere safe.
And for the Studio City residents who spent months watching, feeding and reporting sightings of her, simply knowing that Wendy is finally receiving medical care is the outcome they had been hoping for all along.