Man rescues 'German shepherd' he hit with his car, only to be told it isn't even a dog

Have you ever had that moment when you're walking down the street, and you see somebody you know and you wave and shout, "Hey Dave!" - only to find out it isn't Dave? Well, it turns out that it can also happen with animal species.

When Canadian Eli Boroditsky was driving to work for his nightshift in Manitoba late last year, he was stunned when an animal suddenly appeared in the middle of the highway right in front of his car. Sadly, Boroditsky was unable to avoid the creature and struck it at a speed of 55 mph.

Devastated, he pulled off to the side and walked over to the shoulder lane, where the injured creature was lying. Believing it was a domesticated dog, Eli picked it up and put it in his car. Boroditsky told CBC News that he "thought it was a German Shepherd or a husky".

He said: "I was hesitant to leave it lying there because [I was] thinking that it was a dog and there might be wild animals around, it might get hurt.

After placing the 'dog' in the back seat of his car, he told the CBC News: "It is amazing how docile it was. I was petting it."

However, when Boroditsky arrived a work, a startled co-worker saw the animal and swiftly informed Eli that it wasn't a dog, but rather a wild coyote. Boroditsky said he was "extremely surprised" to learn the truth about the creature.

The following day, a wildlife conservation officer transported the coyote to the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, where the animal is now recovering.

Animal rescuers have confirmed that the coyote only suffered a few cuts on its body and is in good health. Once it has made a full recovery, it will be released back into the wild.

Despite the heartwarming story and gesture, the center's executive director, Zoe Nakata, warns against picking up wild animals, regardless of the situation, telling CBC:

"If an animal is large and is a predator – if their behavior and natural behaviors are aggressive – then we always, always ask people to be cautious and to call people to help. If you're not sure, just give us a call and sometimes we do tell people just put a towel around it, put it in a box and drive it to the center."

Boroditsky reiterated that he really did think the coyote was a dog and was concerned "that if a preying animal came by, it would kill it".

In an update to the coyote's health, the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre posted on their Facebook page:

"Some have been asking for an update on our coyote patient. We dare say she may be the most famous Manitoba Coyote in recent history! We’ve been getting calls from media from across Canada and the US!

"The Coyote is slowly healing from her injuries. She is eating well which is a good sign. We will continue to assess her condition and adjusting her care plan as needed.

"Thank you all for your interest! If you would like to contribute to the cost of her care please donate on our website at www.wildlifehaven.ca/pages/donate"