Look: Wayward coyote rescued from San Francisco couple's back yard

Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Animal care and control officers in San Francisco came to the rescue of a coyote that spent several days living in a family's back yard.

Anthony Williams and Francesca Pomeroy said they initially thought a human trespasser was to blame when they found their aloe plants had been destroyed.

"It looked like someone had used a precision knife," Williams told SFGATE . "It was really tripping me out."

The following night, Williams discovered all of his plants had been destroyed and something had left multiple holes in his garden hose.

"At that point, I knew it obviously wasn't a human," Williams said.

Over the next few nights, the couple caught fleeting glimpses of what they eventually determined to be a coyote. They thought the animal would eventually leave by itself, but called San Francisco Animal Care and Control when it showed no signs of leaving the area.

Animal Care and Control shared photos of the coyote on social media after finding it hiding behind an outdoor wall.

"The officers did not need to sedate the coyote. When cornered like this, they freeze and can be secured/handled," the post said.

The coyote, a male estimated to be about 5 months old, was relocated to a trail in the Mount Sutro area.

"It's pretty common for coyote pups to venture away from the den and end up in unfamiliar territory at this time of year," SFACC spokesperson Deb Campbell said. "Our Animal Control Officers have helped coyotes out of all sorts of situations; off ledges, off freeways, out of the Bay (more than once), and out of yards where they could not escape."