'I think there was some divine intervention': Coyote saved after being stuck in St. Francis of Assisi statue

'I think there was some divine intervention': Coyote saved after being stuck in St. Francis of Assisi statue
NINE, RIGHT HERE ON WISN 12. IN WAUKESHA COUNTY, A COYOTE NEARLY DIED AFTER GETTING STUCK IN THE MOST UNLIKELIEST OF PLACES. 12 NEWS ERIKA FINK SHARES HOW A WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTER GAVE THE ANIMAL A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE. AN UNUSUAL DISCOVERY IN THE SNOWY BACKYARD OF A MUSKEGO HOMEOWNER AFTER A COYOTE WITH HER HEAD STUCK IN A STATUE. AFTER CHASING A RABBIT, NOT BEING ABLE TO FREE HERSELF FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS, THE PERSON ULTIMATELY CALLED FOR HELP, NOTING THE CREATURE WAS ATTACHED TO A STATUE OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI. IT’S THE PATRON SAINT OF ANIMALS, AND YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T MAKE THAT UP. I THINK THERE WAS SOME DIVINE INTERVENTION THERE. DIVINE INTERVENTION, SAYS RESCUER KIM BANNOCK, BECAUSE THE COYOTE WAS DESPERATELY IN NEED OF CARE, AND SHE WAS IN SHOCK AND HYPOTHERMIC. SO SHE DIDN’T REALLY HAVE ANY FIGHT LEFT ON HER. SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, SHE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY DIED. THE STAFF AT THE WILDLIFE IN NEED CENTER TOOK TO HER QUICKLY, EVEN NAMING HER FRANNY AFTER THE SAINT WHILE SHE RECOVERED. ALL YOU COULD SEE WAS NO BROKEN BONES, WHICH WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE THAT’S A LOT LONGER TO FIX. AFTER MORE THAN TWO WEEKS IN TREATMENT, THE WILDLIFE IN NEED CENTER FELT FRANNY WAS READY TO GO BACK HOME AND INTO THE WILD. ANYTIME IT’S A RELEASE IS A BEST CASE SCENARIO. THAT’S OUR GOAL, IS TO ALWAYS RELEASE THEM BACK INTO THE WILD, GIVE THEM THAT SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE BECAUSE THEY ALL DESERVE TO LIVE IN OCONOMOWOC I’M ERIKA FINK, WISN 12 NEWS.
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'I think there was some divine intervention': Coyote saved after being stuck in St. Francis of Assisi statue
A Wisconsin homeowner made an unusual discovery in their snowy backyard in mid-January: a coyote with her head stuck in a statue after chasing a rabbit.The homeowner called the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County for help when the coyote couldn't free herself for more than 24 hours inside the statue of St. Francis of Assisi."It's the patron saint of animals, and you know you can't make that up. I think there was some divine intervention there," said Kim Banach, executive director of the Wildlife In Need Center in Oconomowoc.The Wildlife In Need Center is ultimately where HAWS brought the coyote because Banach said it was desperately in need of care."She was in shock and hypothermic, so she didn't really have any fight left on her. She was, you know, she would have definitely died," Banach said.The staff at the rescue center took to her quickly. They named her Francis — Frannie for short — after the saint while she recovered.After examining Frannie under an X-ray, WINC staff were thankful to not find any broken bones or major damage.More than two weeks after starting treatment, they released Frannie back into the woods on Feb. 5."Any time it's a release is a best case scenario, that's our goal is to always release them back into the wild, give them that second chance at life because they all deserve to live," Banach said.WINC said Frannie caught the rabbit while still in the statue, so it did not survive.
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. —

A Wisconsin homeowner made an unusual discovery in their snowy backyard in mid-January: a coyote with her head stuck in a statue after chasing a rabbit.

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The homeowner called the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County for help when the coyote couldn't free herself for more than 24 hours inside the statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

"It's the patron saint of animals, and you know you can't make that up. I think there was some divine intervention there," said Kim Banach, executive director of the Wildlife In Need Center in Oconomowoc.

The Wildlife In Need Center is ultimately where HAWS brought the coyote because Banach said it was desperately in need of care.

"She was in shock and hypothermic, so she didn't really have any fight left on her. She was, you know, she would have definitely died," Banach said.

The staff at the rescue center took to her quickly. They named her Francis — Frannie for short — after the saint while she recovered.

After examining Frannie under an X-ray, WINC staff were thankful to not find any broken bones or major damage.

More than two weeks after starting treatment, they released Frannie back into the woods on Feb. 5.

"Any time it's a release is a best case scenario, that's our goal is to always release them back into the wild, give them that second chance at life because they all deserve to live," Banach said.

WINC said Frannie caught the rabbit while still in the statue, so it did not survive.