Coyote with bucket stuck on head rescued from flooded valley south of San Diego

A coyote has been rescued after being stranded with a bucket on his head in a flooded field just outside San Diego.

The San Diego Humane Society got a call on Monday about a "dog floating in debris with a bucket stuck on its head." When humane society officials responded to the scene in the Tijuana River Valley, about 16 miles south of San Diego, they realized that the only way to reach the animal was by boat.

San Diego lifeguards helped humane society officers reach the struggling animal, which turned out to be a juvenile coyote and not a dog.

Coyote had hypothermia, cactus, wounds

The coyote was rushed to the humane society's Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego for "initial triage and care," where veterinarians administered a sedative and pain medication, removed the bucket from his head, gave him fluids and took X-rays.

"He was wet, suffering from mild hypothermia, had cactus spines stuck in his fur and wounds that needed care," said the society about the suffering coyote.

After the first 24 hours, the coyote was transferred to the humane society's Ramona Wildlife Center, where the humane society's Project Wildlife team rehabilitates apex predators.

The humane society is hopeful that the coyote will be recover and be returned to the wild soon.

Flash floods in San Diego

Torrential rain caused flash floods to sweep through San Diego on Monday, the Southern California city's fourth-wettest day in 175 years, inundating roads and damaging infrastructure, causing distress to the area's residents and wildlife.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria declared a state of emergency in the city and San Diego County due to the rainfall and flash flooding. The Red Cross opened a school and recreation center as shelters for people affected by the flooding.

The humane society also partnered with the American Red Cross to set up a temporary shelter for animals.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.