While driving through a rural area on a rainy day, Tory Chang came across a small animal stuck in the mud. She rescued the freezing and lonely animal, thinking it was a baby fox, and contacted For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue for assistance. However, upon receiving a blurry photo of the animal, the rescue team realized that it looked more like a coyote pup with markings similar to those of a red fox. They decided to wait until Chang brought the animal, later named Yoti, to positively identify her. Upon arrival, the rescue team was still unsure about Yoti’s identity, as she looked more like a puppy than a wild animal. As Yoti grew, so did the confusion about her identity. She eventually ended up back at For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue, where they got to know her better and became confident that she was a cross between a coyote and a domestic dog. After DNA testing, it was confirmed that Yoti had genetic markers unique to domestic dogs. Since Yoti is mostly coyote, she will be cared for by Walden’s Puddle, a wildlife rehabilitation facility, until she’s ready to be released back into the wild.
