'No snarling, no growling': Injured coyote removed after taking refuge at Charlottetown store

A coyote that appeared to have mange and an injury to its leg found refuge outside a building supplies store in Charlottetown where employees kept watch over it until it was picked up and taken to the Atlantic Veterinary College.

Mary Rose Carson, an intern with P.E.I. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, arrived at Kent Building Supplies with her large fishing net on Saturday after receiving a call from an employee at the store who had tried unsuccessfully to call provincial wildlife officials.

"It didn't look very healthy. They were suspecting mange and possibly hit by a vehicle. They weren't quite sure," Carson said.

"He was hunkered down in behind a garbage can and the building."

Redirected curious customers

While Kent employees redirected customers to another entrance, Carson and other employees were able to coax the coyote into the net, and then into a large plastic tote. They drilled holes into the bin and fastened it with straps.

"He really didn't put up any fight. There was no snarling, no growling, no barking. There's no fight back at all," Carson said.

Nobody from the Atlantic Veterinary College was available to confirm to CBC what happened to the coyote after it was dropped off. But Candy Gallant, who runs  P.E.I. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, said she believes it was euthanized.

P.E.I. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation is not allowed to rehabilitate injured coyotes on P.E.I. While they usually rescue injured birds or other small animals, it's not the first time Gallant has helped deal with an injured coyote on the island. Each time she took it to a veterinarian, it had to be euthanized. 

If he wanted to up and run away, he could, but he didn't want to.— Mary Rose Carson

"It's pretty rare to get a healthy coyote that somebody can catch for any reason. They're very distrustful of people. They are very quick, they're very smart. So even trapping a coyote is tricky."

Carson commended the Kent employees for keeping curious customers away from the coyote, and keeping the animal from becoming agitated.

"No one got in any harms way. I mean, the threat and the possibility was there, but I mean, we weren't getting right down in the coyote's space. We were giving him lots of room. If he wanted to up and run away, he could, but he didn't want to."