Two months and many coyote costumes after she was found, Val the Valentine’s Day Coyote is thriving.
The orphaned coyote pup rescued earlier this year in San Diego County has settled into her new home in Richmond, Virginia, where she is helping educate visitors about wildlife, the San Diego Humane Society announced on Wednesday.
Val was the first coyote of the season admitted to SDHS’ Project Wildlife program. She arrived unusually early in the year, on Feb. 14, 2026, after being found along a creek in Valley Center.
According to the Humane Society, a community member initially left her overnight in hopes her mother would return. When she did not, the pup was brought in for care.
“We did everything we could to give this pup a chance to remain wild,” said Autumn Welch, SDHS wildlife operations manager. “We even revisited the site where she came from with the finder to look for evidence of a den or siblings, but found nothing.”
Wildlife experts at the organization believe the pup was born in late December, outside the typical coyote breeding season of January through March. During her time at the Ramona Wildlife Center, staff initially provided hands-off care to prevent habituation.
Caregivers wore coyote disguises and introduced natural scents to help maintain her wild instincts, while she progressed from formula to eating solid food.
Ultimately, after a consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, it was determined Val would not be able to survive in the wild on her own. The organizations decided to transfer her to a licensed wildlife facility.
Welch flew across the country with Val on April 8 to her new home at the Robins Nature Center in Maymont, a 100-acre Victorian estate and park in Richmond.
Robins’ staff have begun introducing Val to her new roommate, “Bernie,” another coyote living in the center’s newly renovated Virginia Wildlife Trail.
“Val will play an important role in helping people better understand coyotes and how to peacefully coexist with wildlife,” Welch said. “While we always strive to return animals to the wild, in cases like this, providing a high-quality permanent home is the best possible outcome.”
