Coyote pup wandered for days with head stuck in container. Freeing it ‘took a village’


Screengrab from Newhouse Wildlife Rescue's Facebook post

Julia Marnin
Thu, June 22, 2023 

A coyote pup found himself in a plastic predicament when his head got stuck in a container in Massachusetts.

After two days of wandering with the plastic container — and his unsuccessful attempts to pull his head out — help was called on June 20, according to Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford.

Rescue group staff, Billerica & Tewksbury Animal Control officers and an environmental police officer tracked the pup down and teamed up to free him, the rescue wrote in a June 21 Facebook post.

“It took a village, but this guy’s life was saved because of it,” the post said.

Once the container was finally off his head, the young coyote was in “shock,” had pale gums, was disoriented and in need of water, according to the wildlife rescue, which brought him to its facility to care for him.

As of the morning of June 21, “he is feeling much better,” the rescue group wrote.

The person who spotted the coyote pup told the group that his parents were still around, and the group planned to reunite him with his family on June 21.

McClatchy News reached out to Newhouse Wildlife Rescue for an update on June 22 and was awaiting a response.

Coyotes originate from North America and used to only live in the continent’s western region before spreading east. Eastern coyotes are commonly found in Massachusetts.

Chelmsford is about 30 miles northwest of Boston.