Wild Sleepy Coyote Enjoyed Cozy Nap on Couch as Its Own, Reluctant to Leave when discovered

A San Francisco coyote is in his “couch potato” era.

The critter surprised an unsuspecting resident on Friday by stopping to snooze on their outdoor furniture, Animal Care & Control San Francisco (SFACC) shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).

One of SFACC’s employees, Officer Mullen, “encouraged this sleepy coyote couch potato to move along and find a more coyote-appropriate (but less comfy) place to sleep,” the post read. “He listened and followed her advice.”

The San Francisco animal shelter shared more details about the unsuspecting homeowner and sleepy coyote in a Facebook post on Friday, which was penned by Mullen.

“Earlier this week I was called out to a residence to check on one of my favorite species of San Francisco urban wildlife, a coyote,” the officer wrote.

According to Mullen, the resident’s morning routine was disrupted when they awoke to the “beautiful coyote asleep on their outdoor couch furniture.” “The animal was reluctant to move when the resident approached,” Mullen said.

Sure enough, photos shared by the shelter show the coyote snuggled up on an outdoor couch, basking in the sun. In one photo, it appears to be sleeping and in another, it has woken up and appears to be looking up at something off-camera.

Thinking that the creature may be sick or injured, the resident rang SFACC and Mullen, who was already in the area, was dispatched to the call.

“I arrived and made contact with the resident who took me to their backyard and showed me the coyote who was comfortably resting on a couch in their outdoor patio,” the officer wrote.

“I approached the coyote and started talking to him, telling him that it was time to get up,” they continued. “He looked at me, got up, took a big stretch and made his way to the edge of the yard. He was moving appropriately and did not appear sick or injured.”

Per Mullen, the resident’s home was surrounded by a “woodland area” and, upon telling the coyote to head out, the critter “hopped on over the wall and made his way through the brush.”

The shelter also shared photos of the coyote’s exit. In the shots, the animal has abandoned its cozy spot in the sun and appears to be heading away from the home. “The coyote looked like a young healthy male that was probably recently kicked out of his den and was trying to make his way through the city,” Mullen noted.

In the “Friday Field Notes” post, SFACC also added a bit of background about coyotes in the California city, and urged anyone “concerned about a sick or injured coyote” to call its dispatch.

“Thank you for helping us keep this population healthy and thriving in our urban jungle,” the post concluded.

More information about coyotes — including what to do if you encounter them — can be found on the shelter’s website.