It was a coyote who cried wolf.
Authorities who rushed to rescue a “dog” struggling in a Florida lake got a twist ending when the animal they pulled from the water turned out to be a coyote pup.
Fire rescue crews responded to a call of a “dog in a canal” in Britannia Lake on Monday morning while a concerned kayaker, Denae Judd, trailed the canine swimming from shore to shore, according to the Cape Coral Fire Department.
The animal eventually came to rest and crawled up under a dock, offering rescuers a chance to pull the pooch to safety.
Firefighters were soon stunned when they realized they rescued “what turned out to be a coyote pup” from the body of water, the department said in a statement.
The young coyote — which bared its small fangs in photos released by the department — was “exhausted” by its adventure and could not be released.
The wild pup was taken to East West Veterinary Care Center for rehabilitation.
Both Judd and a nearby neighbor, Brian, who initially tried to jump in after seeing the coyote fall into the lake, were awarded community recognition coins for their help with the rescue.
“His efforts caught the attention of other neighbors who called 9-1-1 and Denae,” the department said of Brian. “This save was a great team effort!!”
