Coyote dies from pellet shot into spine in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A coyote found with injuries in the Heavenly Valley area and taken to Lake Tahoe Wildlife (LTWC) has died. The coyote was seen dragging its hind legs and trying to crawl under a trailer to get to safety when a nearby resident rescued him and took him to the care center late last week.

X-rays revealed the coyote had been shot in the spine by what appeared to be a plastic pellet, possibly from a BB gun or Airgun.

The actions of a human left this coyote mortally wounded and defenseless, resulting in certain death in the wild as he could no longer hunt or defend himself, LTWC said.

As wild animals continue to search for food sources in this heavy Tahoe snowpack, it is understandable that coyotes can create conflicts with humans and pets, but shooting is not the answer, nor is it legal in South Lake Tahoe.

"This was an otherwise young, healthy coyote," LTWC said on social media. "He was still feisty and had a strong will to live, but quality of life is of utmost importance. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wild animals back into nature so they can thrive and be part of the natural ecosystem. Since he was paralyzed from the waist down, this injury was not repairable, and he would not be able to fulfill his place in nature. LTWC, therefore, made the decision to euthanize him."

Please do not shoot at wildlife, even with toy guns, they said.

In the South Lake Tahoe city limits it is illegal to shoot a gun, but in Douglas County, it is legal to shoot a coyote due to the multiple threats they pose to wildlife in the valley.

BB guns or airguns are legal to shoot in one's own backyard in South Lake Tahoe, but any projectile moving into another piece of property is a code violation, said Sgt. Scott Criveli of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. He said it's still not wise to shoot with these items in a backyard as they could be mistaken as guns with live ammunition.