A coyote treated by Center Valley Animal Rescue after the animal injured itself at Jefferson Healthcare is released into the wild. (Center Valley Animal Rescue)

A coyote treated by Center Valley Animal Rescue after the animal injured itself at Jefferson Healthcare is released into the wild. (Center Valley Animal Rescue)

Frightened coyote runs through Jefferson Healthcare corridor

PT rescuers treat animal before returning it to wild

QUILCENE — A coyote was released back into the wild by Center Valley Animal Rescue’s staff after it crashed through a window at Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend.

The 25-pound adult female coyote was released into the wild Wednesday evening after treatment, said Sara Penhallegon, director of the Quilcene-based animal rescue center. The coyote released in a wooded area outside of Port Townsend where rescuers believe she can find her family and pack.

Just after 10 a.m. Tuesday, the coyote was seen running around spooked in the Emergency Department parking lot of Jefferson Healthcare when it ran into the closed doors leading into the Express Clinic entrance.

The force of impact opened the automatic doors and let the animal in, said Amy Yaley, director of marketing and communications for Jefferson Healthcare.

“She proceeded to run full speed down the hallway towards an intersection in the hallway that also happened to be a glass wall. The animal ran straight through a quarter-inch-thick window into a fully enclosed courtyard,” Yaley said.

Yaley witnessed the incident.

“It happened very quickly,” she said.

“Within seconds, I realized it was a coyote, and with the help of a colleague, we barricaded the broken window with overturned furniture,” she continued.

“The animal was very scared and proceeded to jump against windows repeatedly looking for a way out.

“At one point, the animal reached the roofline and almost made it onto the roof. After about 10 minutes, the animal calmed herself and found a corner to rest,” Yaley said.

Yaley called 911, and emergency dispatchers notified animal control, which arrived quickly.

The police called Center Valley Animal Rescue and Penhallegon arrived at about 11 a.m. to sedate the animal and take it back to the facility to attend to her wounds.

“No one was hurt,” Yaley said. “Offices and the café were evacuated. Patients were detoured. Everyone did an amazing job.”

Center Valley Animal rescue posted about the incident on Facebook.

“We rescued a female coyote who attempted to check herself into urgent care at Jefferson Healthcare,” the post read. “After entering the building and realizing her mistake she ran down the hallway and crashed through a glass window, ending up in an enclosed courtyard. With the help of Jefferson County Animal Control, our director Sara Penhallegon captured the coyote and brought it back to our in-house medical facility.”

The coyote was thoroughly examined, given a few stitches and released after recovering.

“She was very happy to leave and get away from all of us humans! I don’t think she will be visiting the hospital again,” Penhallegon said in an email.

Coyotes are common around the North Olympic Peninsula but are typically more active at night and tend to avoid human activity.

“My guess is that something scared her, and she ran to what looked like a dark cave or tunnel (the dark doorway), and then once inside realized that was not at all where she wanted to be and saw the opening to the courtyard and ran in a panic through the window,” Penhallegon said.

________

Reporter Ken Park can be reached at kpark@peninsuladailynews.com.

Sara Penhallegon, director of Center Valley Animal Rescue, treats the injured coyote after it was transported from Jefferson Healthcare hospital. (Center Valley Animal Rescue)

Sara Penhallegon, director of Center Valley Animal Rescue, treats the injured coyote after it was transported from Jefferson Healthcare hospital. (Center Valley Animal Rescue)

More in News

Savanna Hoglund of Spokane takes a photo of her son, Lincoln Hoglund, 2, as hit sits on a wooden cougar sculpture in the Discovery Room on Tuesday at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles. The center features a variety of displays that provide a sampling of what can be found within the park, as well as interactive exhibits for children. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Park exhibit

Savanna Hoglund of Spokane takes a photo of her son, Lincoln Hoglund,… Continue reading

Port Townsend City Council approves zoning changes

Reforms seek to increase housing density

A crew from Jefferson County Public Utility District works to replace an old pole with a new one on the corner of Scott and Lawrence streets on Monday in Port Townsend. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Replacing a pole

A crew from Jefferson County Public Utility District works to replace an… Continue reading

Clallam County to provide PUD with funding

Rescue Plan dollars to aid water quality

Port of Port Townsend considers hiring second engineer for projects

Agency has $47M capital budget, faces ‘unprecedented’ volume

Matthew Nash/ Olympic Peninsula News Group

Sequim Police Chief Sheri Crain talks with a crowd at a Sequim Business Merchants meeting. She encouraged people to call police if they see something suspicious.
Church, merchants seek solutions for downtown concerns

Police chief says Sequim not becoming Seattle

Recipients of the 2023 Jefferson County Community Leadership Awards are, from left, Adeline Gellert-DePalma, Future Business Leader of the Year; Sarah Spaeth, Citizen of the Year; Jake Ramsey, Rising Entrepreneur; Jacob Davidson, Young Professional of the Year; Richard Tucker, President of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Jefferson County; and Cathy and Pete Langley, Business Leader of the Year. The awards were presented at a dinner Saturday at the American Legion Post in Port Townsend. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Jefferson County leadership awards presented

Sarah Spaeth honored as Citizen of Year

Most Read