Family Of Coyotes Welcomes Lost Dog As One Of Their Own

He lived with them for over a YEAR.

Wiley is recovering from what was probably the adventure of a lifetime. 

The 2-year-old dog was spotted near Kingston, New York, about 18 months ago — with an entire pack of coyotes

Dog spotted traveling with pack of coyotes in New York
BDRR

"He was being sighted constantly, playing with them, running with them,” Nicole Asher, founder of Buddha Dog Rescue & Recovery (BDRR), told The Dodo.

Coyote pack that took in stray dog Wiley
One of Wiley's coyote "buddies" | BDRR
Coyote from pack that integrated with stray dog
BDRR

"How he integrated with them we don’t know; we have no idea," Asher said. "But it’s not unheard of. There are coy dogs out there, coyote-dog hybrids that happen when dogs and coyotes mate. But it’s rarely seen in person — you know, dogs hanging with coyotes."

Asher, who is well-known for her skills at capturing lost dogs, first heard about Wiley last week, when Sarah Nace, of Lost Pets of Hudson Valley (LPHV), called on her for help.

Coyote who befriended stray dog
BDRR

However much fun Wiley was having with his coyote friends, the general consensus among people was that the domestic dog would thrive better in an actual home.

"The first thing we needed to do was get the dog constantly coming back to a certain spot," Asher said. "We set up a feeding station monitored by a trail camera."

The footage from the first night showed a glimpse of Wiley's secret life among the coyotes. "His coyote buddies would just show up," Asher said. 

Seeing that Wiley was chowing down on the food put out for him, Asher went to the feeding station the next day and set the trap. "It was only two nights," she said. "He was a fairly easy trapping."

Dog integrated into coyote pack trapped by rescuer
Wiley in the trap rescuers set for him | BDRR
Dog who ran with coyotes in rescuer's trap
BDRR

And it's a good thing Wiley fell for the bait: He was covered in dozens and dozens of ticks.

Asher, who appropriately named the dog Wiley right then and there, brought him to Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge (RBARI) to get medical care. "Tonight he is curled up in a warm bed for the first time in a very long time," Asher wrote on Monday, just after his rescue.

Dog captured after living with coyotes
BDRR

No microchip was found on Wiley and he wasn't neutered. "We don’t know if he’s someone’s lost pet," Asher said. "We’ve been scouring the internet, calling the local authorities. There’ve been no reports of lost dogs fitting his description. We think he was either a stray or dumped."

Wiley tested positive for Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, which can be easily treated with antibiotics. And then he'll be looking for a home.

Dog who ran with coyotes kissing rescuer
Wiley kissing his rescuer | BDRR
Dog who ran with a pack of coyotes
RBARI

"I think he’s going to be ready for adoption fairly quickly," Asher said. "He's a sweetheart. He was leaning on me, smooching on me. A lot of these rescue dogs are incredibly grateful. People think, 'Oh my God, they’re gonna be wild.' But it’s not the case at all."

RBARI

"He is just loving all of the love and attention. He’s absolutely amazing," Frannie Laurita, a volunteer at RBARI, told The Dodo. "He's a big marshmallow. We love him so much."

Dog who ran with coyotes relaxing at rescue center
RBARI
Wiley will be up for a new adventure soon: a forever home. If you think you can give him the home he deserves, fill out an adoption application. To help BDRR rescue more lost and stray dogs like Wiley, you can make a donation