Coyote gets police escort after making way onto San Francisco freeway

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There was an unusual sight on a freeway in San Francisco Thursday as a coyote was spotted.

This happened around 8 a.m. on southbound 280 near Mission Bay.

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A photo from SF Animal Care and Control shows the coyote hiding behind yellow sand barrels on the freeway.

Officers were able to escort the animal off the freeway with the help of CHP and San Francisco police.

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Video shows the coyote trotting in the middle of the road as it was escorted to safety.

Officers say it appeared to be in good health, so they just made sure it got to an area they thought it could survive on its own before letting it run away.

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Animal control officers aren't usually tasked with traffic duties, but on Thursday they managed to safely reroute a wily coyote that had somehow found itself on a freeway in San Francisco.

San Francisco Animal Care and Control received a report in the morning of a coyote hiding behind yellow sand barrels to the side of southbound Interstate Highway 280 near Mission Bay. With a little help from California Highway Patrol and police officers, the coyote was escorted off the freeway safely, an animal control spokesperson said.

"The coyote was healthy and unharmed, just a little tired," said the spokesperson.

SF Animal Care and Control said that they are always there to assist coyotes that may need a helping hand. The department estimates that there are at least 100 coyotes that live in the city. Anyone can call emergency dispatch at (415) 554-9400 to report an animal.