The coyote that went viral for a growth on its face was finally seen by vets, only to receive a grim diagnosis

Wendy, the coyote who went viral for a massive growth on her face, had wildlife authorities and residents searching for her to see whether medical attention could help. At the time, no one was sure why or how the growth had formed.

Wildlife Care of Southern California spent weeks tracking Wendy and finally found her. As a result, the internet now knows how the mass on Wendy’s face came to be. Unfortunately, when the rescue organization shared what they’d found, they also informed the world that Wendy’s injuries were so severe she had to be euthanized.

Here’s what caused the growth on Wendy’s face

According to a Facebook post from Wildlife Care of Southern California, Wendy’s facial growth was due to a gunshot wound — specifically, a wound from a pellet gun. Diagnostic imaging on Wendy showed that she had two pellets lodged in her head. The wound became infected, which destroyed Wendy’s upper jawbone on the left side of the face, leading to the growth that caught everyone’s attention. Additionally, the rescue organization said she had injuries indicating that she had been struck by a vehicle at some point.

After being captured, the 3-year-old coyote spent around a week in the care of Wildlife Care of Southern California. There, she received anti-inflammatory medication, antibiotics, and plenty of soft foods. At this point, soft food was all Wendy could manage.

Wildlife Care of Southern California shared in their Facebook post the reasons for having the internet sensation euthanized and said, “The extent of the damage was so severe that there was no surgery or treatment capable of restoring normal function. She would have required a soft-food diet for the remainder of her life. For a wild coyote, this would have meant that she could never return to the life and freedom she deserved, even in a captive setting. This is no life for a 3-year-old coyote.”

It continued, “After consulting together and carefully considering her long-term welfare and quality of life, we collectively determined that keeping her alive under those circumstances would not be humane.”

Wendy made quite an impact on the community

Wendy is far from the first animal with an unusual appearance to go viral. In July 2026, a raccoon named Jimothy gained a following for similar reasons.

However, in Wendy’s case, rescuers were impressed by her endurance and ability to adapt. In the organization’s post, it wrote, “It is difficult to comprehend how much this young coyote endured over the course of the past year[…]This coyote’s remarkable endurance is a powerful testament to a wild animal’s will to survive, even while experiencing unimaginable pain.”

Meanwhile, Southern California Pit Bull Rescue is putting up a $10,000 reward for any information that will help lead to the arrest of the person who shot the beloved coyote. They wrote in an Instagram post announcing the reward, “Wendy’s story will not end with her death. Someone shot her. Someone may know who did it.”

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