Dehydrated coyote pup dies after it was rescued by California firefighters

SAN FRANCISCO -- A dehydrated coyote pup died Thursday after being rescued by California firefighters.

The coyote was about 6 weeks old, said Colleen Crowley, spokesperson for the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.

Photos of the July 4 rescue on social media show a big-eared pup bundled up and given bowls of food at a San Mateo County fire station.

The coyote was found in an unincorporated area of the county just south of San Francisco.

Firefighters with Cal Fire CZU had “seen this pup running around with his mom, but this time, mom was nowhere in sight. The little animal seemed disoriented and was stumbling around,” read the post accompanying photos.

They gave the pup water and chicken until rescuers with the humane society could take the small coyote, who was dehydrated and malnourished.

Crowley said the pup could barely open its eyes.