A coyote became trapped between two walls in an Oakland, Pittsburgh alley on Atwood Street and couldn't escape on its own.
The coyote's rescue starkly illustrates the hazards wildlife can face in cities.
Here's what to know
Pittsburgh Animal Care and Control officers worked for hours to remove the coyote from the alley and then took it to the woods outside the city, CBS News Pittsburgh reported.
Pittsburgh Public Safety described the response on Facebook as an "unusual situation" in which the coyote couldn't free itself. Officers ultimately got the frightened animal out safely.
The coyote was trapped in a narrow alley created by human-made structures in one of Pittsburgh's busiest neighborhoods. Built environments like that can create dangerous choke points for wildlife moving through the city.
Urban wildlife encounters are not limited to parks or wooded edges. In this case, the coyote became trapped in infrastructure people pass every day, turning a wild-animal rescue into a populated-neighborhood incident.
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More background
State wildlife officials say coyotes live in many parts of Pennsylvania, from dense woods and farmland to big cities such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. What happened in Oakland stood out for how it unfolded, not because coyotes live near people.
The Oakland rescue followed another wildlife call in June. Officers responded near the Lincoln Place Greenway after a fox entered a home through a cat door, ended up in a bathtub, and was later returned to the woods.
What can be done?
If you encounter a coyote, Pittsburgh Public Safety advises staying visible, making yourself appear as large as possible, and making plenty of noise instead of trying to slip away quietly.
Officials also warned people not to run from a coyote, because that can trigger a chase response. That advice is especially relevant in neighborhoods where a sighting could happen in residential spaces where you'd least expect to see one.
On Atwood Street, Animal Care and Control officers spent hours working with the frightened coyote before finally freeing it and moving it out of the city.
In both incidents, the city removed animals from unsafe situations and released them back into wooded areas.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said, "This is a good reminder that coyotes can be found in urban environments and throughout Pittsburgh neighborhoods, suburbs, and parks."
Where can I learn more?
The Oakland rescue is one of several recent examples of coyotes running into trouble around neighborhoods, roads, and other human-made spaces. These stories cover rescues, urban sightings, and public warnings tied to coyotes moving through populated areas.
• Rescuers pulled the animal from a slippery pond after drought strained nearby water sources.
• In a major downtown area, a passerby spotted a coyote threading through traffic and sidewalks.
• In Grand Rapids, residents said they're getting pushed over here as backyard sightings increased.
• Near a Dallas trail, officials posted warnings after a coyote chased two children.
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