Wendy, also known as Sunshine, was a wild coyote who resided in Studio City, California. She was known for her deformed face, caused by a gunshot wound, and was euthanized on September 8, 2026.
History According to Southern California Pit Bull Rescue founder Mark Rulon, Wendy was a fixture Studio City, California, for years. Residents first noticed swelling on her face in 2025; she was later determined to be traversing an inconsistent route in the city while most likely being fed by locals. Rescuers originally thought her deformity might be a tumor, then the result of a wildlife–vehicle collision after a local reported that she had been involved in one around the time the deformity was first noticed.
Wildlife Care of Southern California in Simi Valley, California, with the assistance of Southern California Pit Bull Rescue and Urban Rescue, captured Wendy on August 31, 2026, after tracking her online since July 14 and in person since August 7. The organization examined her and found two pellets lodged in her head, indicating that at some point she had been shot by a pellet gun; they also found that a severe infection had destroyed her upper jaw bone on the left side of her face. They fed her soft foods and treated her with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication, then euthanized her on September 8, 2026, after determining that no treatment or surgery could restore her normal function. The organization explained that she would require a soft food diet for the rest of her life, meaning she could not return to the wild nor would she experience freedom in a captive environment, and that "keeping her alive under those circumstances would not be humane."
Wendy was estimated to be three years old when she was euthanized. The day after her death, Southern California Pit Bull Rescue announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her shooter. On September 16, the reward was increased to $21,000.
See also List of individual animals List of wild animals from Los Angeles
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