Coyotes Are Not Dogs

If you know me, I'm sure I've mentioned The Daily Coyote to you. It's this great website where author/photographer Shreve Stockton narrates her experiences raising a wild coyote, Charlie, in rural Wyoming. He was brought to her before his eyes even opened after his parents were shot and killed. Shreve took him in because the alternative for Charlie was death. She posts a new photo of Charlie every day on her site.

Shreve writes from home and lives in a tiny cabin in the middle of the woods. Her lifestyle allows her to spend lots of time, money and energy on making sure that Charlie has a good life, a life that is safe for him and one that keeps other people safe from him. Shreve's opinion on raising a coyote can be found here, and anyone considering the idea should read this and do a ton of research before taking on a wild animal.

Because that is what a coyote is: a wild animal.

Dogs and cats and other domesticated animals have been bred for centuries to trust humans, to be passive, to be trainable, to be companions. Coyotes have not. While coyotes are not inherently aggressive or mean animals (don't want to give them a bad rep here), they are unpredictable. They can turn on you without warning, just like any wild animal, and you might not see if coming.

Also, coyotes don't trust easily. They are shy animals by nature. Shreve addresses this on her website and in her book; she and one friend are the only people Charlie feels comfortable with, which means no visitors, no extended vacations. She can't endanger other people by having them to her home and making Charlie feel threatened and she can't leave him with just anyone because he only trusts two people in the world.

On the legal side of things, you often need a permit to keep a wild animal in your home. In Illinois, my home state, the state legally owns all wildlife, and coyotes are protected as furbearers. If you are not in Illinois, you can look up your state's laws on harboring a wild animal here, as well as what to do if you have nuisance wildlife you want removed; in some states (like Illinois) you need a permit for removal from your property.

Please, please if you find a coyote or any other wild animal, contact a wildlife rehabilitation center for help. Do not try to raise a wild animal on your own. The best, kindest thing you can do for either of you is to turn it over to experts who will help it as necessary and nurture it appropriately, with the ultimate goal being a safe reintroduction to its natural habitat.