A coyote was spotted making himself comfortable out on the patio of a San Francisco residence, and did not want to leave anytime soon.
San Francisco Animal Care & Control Officer Laura Mullen arrived at the scene after being contacted by the concerned homeowner, who woke up to see the beautiful animal lounging on their outdoor patio furniture.
Mullen said on the department's Facebook page:
"The resident was concerned that the coyote might be sick or injured."
Mullen said she approached the coyote and told him it was time to get up.
Surprisingly, the animal remained very civil and complied, despite its apparent desire for more chill time.
Animal Care & Control San Francisco/Facebook
Animal Care & Control San Francisco/Facebook
Officer Mullen continued:
"He looked at me, got up, took a big stretch, and made his way to the edge of the yard."
Animal Care & Control San Francisco/Facebook
"He was moving appropriately and did not appear sick or injured."
"The yard was on the edge of a woodland area and he hopped on over the wall and made his way through the brush."
Animal Care & Control San Francisco/Facebook
"The coyote looked like a young healthy male that was probably recently kicked out of his den and was trying to make his way through the city."
Animal Care & Control San Francisco/Facebook
Mullen explained that coyote pups stay with their families for over a year, until new pups are born.
"They stay within the family unit until the younger pups are about 4-6 months old and then they venture out of their home dens and are known as yearling pups."
"Fall and early winter is usually the time when the yearling pups start dispersing out of their home dens, looking for a mate to start a den of their own."
Animal Care & Control San Francisco/Facebook
Here is the full post.
The handsome canine captured the hearts of social media users.
Mullen added:
"There is estimated to be approximately 100 coyotes in San Francisco, this population has been consistent for the last 10-15 years."
"The coyote population was almost completely eliminated in the 1940s due to fear and powerful pesticides used to control the rat population. But since 2002, they have found their way back into our ecosystem and are thriving once again."
"Coyotes help to keep the rodent population under control which helps to keep disease transmission down."
"Coyotes are shy and are not usually aggressive, however they do exhibit assertive behaviors when feeling threatened or if they are protecting their young pups."
The SF Gate noted the coyote was found in San Francisco's upscale Russian Hill neighborhood, which is known for one of the city's most photographed spots, Lombard Street.
SF Animal Care & Control encourages anyone who has spotted a coyote to visit the department's website and fill out a coyote sighting form in order to document and monitor the coyote population in the city.
