Shelter Mistakes Pet Dog for Wild Coyote

After an astonishing blunder at Frankfort Humane Society, a pet Shiba Inu was mistaken as a coyote and released into the wild. Now, owner Lori Goodlett blames the animal experts at the Humane Society for sending her dog of 11 years, Copper, out the door and into the wilderness.

The chaos started on July 3. After escaping from Goodlett's fenced back yard, Copper wandered the town until a police officer in Frankfort County, KY found her. But when he brought her to the Frankfort Humane Society, they rejected Copper. They believed she was a coyote. When consulted about the next course of action, wildlife experts informed police that these nuisance animals had to either be killed or released into the wild. So police did what they thought was the more humane decision: they released Copper behind a home improvement store.

The police soon realized the mistake when they saw missing posters of Copper. Now, they're helping Goodlett search for Copper with cages set up to capture her, and posters of the recent picture they took shortly before releasing Copper.

According to the American Kennel Club, Shiba Inus are commonly described as "fox-like" due to their red, red sesame, black, or tan-colored coats, but never "coyote-like". They also have a distinct plush, fluffy double coat, with the tail hair standing long and open in a brush. Conversely, according to Desert USA's guide, coyotes have a round and bushy tail that hangs down. Another clear indication of a coyote is its distinct dewclaw, which gives the coyote five digits, and its digitigrade, where only the toes touch the ground. This prancing gait is common for cats.

Our hearts go out to any owner who has had a similar experience of a missing pet, and we hope Copper will return safely home. Please feel free to share your experiences or thoughts by leaving a comment.

First Image: flickr user Island Vittles Second Image: flickr user Alan Vernon