Lost, starved coyote puppy rescued in Thousand Palms

A coyote puppy was rescued in Thousand Palms on Friday afternoon.

According to John Welsh of Riverside County Animal Services, a woman found the male pup, believed to be around 3 months old, alone and near death at around 1:30 p.m. The concerned woman immediately took it to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms for treatment.

Welsh said the pup was very dehydrated and underweight when it was brought in. Veterinarians were able to save the pup from the brink of death by providing it with fluids intravenously and, later, giving it some dextrose via a large syringe.

“He really perked up after we provided the dextrose,” said Emily Vialpando, a veterinary technician with Riverside County Animal Services. “He really showed more life and looked around and stretched.”

Welsh said their current theory is that the pup’s mother may have died, which would explain why it was all alone.

RCAS officials contacted the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert for possible assistance. Living Desert officials were able to connect RCAS to the Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona.

The puppy is en route to Ramona for continued care and rehabilitation.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.