Litter of Coyote Pups Found Underneath Libertyville Family's Deck

Photo credit: Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Facebook page

It’s not everyday that you find a litter of coyote pups underneath your deck.

But that’s exactly what a Libertyville family found when they heard crying coming from underneath their deck and decided to pull up the floorboards, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The four pups have been taken in by Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation in Barrington, according to the center’s Facebook page. The pups suffered from hypothermia and it’s unclear what happened to their mother. A fifth pup was found dead near the others.

Staff at Flint Creek have been feeding the pups every two to three hours with plans to eventually place the pups with a female coyote at the shelter, according to the article.

“She’ll help teach them to hunt,” Dawn Keller, founder and director of Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation, told the Chicago Tribune. “And she’ll teach them to stay wild.”

The pups will eventually be released back into the wild.