Wildlife rescue pushes for changes inspired by injured coyote in Studio City

A Southern California wildlife rescue is pushing for new regulations, dubbed "Wendy's Law," to allow qualified organizations to capture injured or diseased wildlife.

The petition was inspired by a coyote with an extremely swollen face that roamed through a Studio City neighborhood for more than a year, which residents named Wendy. 

The facility that treated Wendy, Wildlife Care of Southern California, said that part of the coyote's jaw was destroyed by a significant infection and two pellets that were lodged in its head, "indicating that she had been previously shot." The rescue facility said surgery and treatment could not repair the damage, which influenced their decision to euthanize the animal. 

"We are calling this campaign "Wendy's Law" in her honor," Wildlife Care SoCal wrote in a Facebook post. "It is not yet an enacted law or regulation. It is our effort to ensure that the next injured wild animal - and the next concerned community - has a lawful path to qualified help."

Wildlife Care SoCal said that current regulations do not allow them to use "humane live traps to bring in injured or diseased wildlife" for care. 

"The rehabilitators prepared to treat the animal are not authorized to trap it, while no authorized agency is available to bring it to them," the organization wrote. 

The proposal asks the California Fish and Game Commission to change this regulation and allow "qualified wildlife rehabilitation permit holders - with appropriate training, equipment, and veterinary support" to rescue injured wildlife, according to Wildlife Care SoCal. 

"This is a statewide problem, not one limited to Wendy or Studio City," the organization wrote. "When an injured animal remains mobile, no qualified public agency is available or equipped to capture it."

Southern California Pit Bull Rescue, one of the groups that helped locate the coyote, offered the $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot Wendy after learning about the euthanasia.

"We spent weeks fighting to save Wendy. Now we will fight for justice for her," the group wrote in a Facebook post. "She survived for as long as she possibly could. Wendy deserved better from humanity. She deserved to live. And whoever caused her suffering should be held accountable."