How you feel about coyotes might depend on a number of things – like where you grew up, your opinion on animals in general, and how much you do or don’t appreciate the exploits of a certain cartoon roadrunner.

Eagle Scout candidate William J. of the Southwest Florida Council found himself squarely in the pro-coyote camp. In fact, he’s such a fan of coyotes that he put together an Eagle Scout project that would offer some local coyotes a place to hang out.

He worked with the Shy Wolf Sanctuary, which offers “a sanctuary and home to exotic animals in need of rescue and refuge, while screening and re-homing those better suited for family life.”

William met with the team at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary to discuss the coyotes and what types of shelters they would need. He then began doing research and settled on a shelter design reminiscent of shelters for hikers that can be found on the Appalachian Trail.

These shelters, which resemble a lean-to but feature a small, flat roof area, would give the coyotes a place to rest on top of the roof or underneath to get out of the elements.

William constructed a 3D design for a model of the shelter for the coyotes, then he and his team set about constructing the shelter. They also removed the old existing structure, and they leveled the ground before bringing the new shelter to its location and painting it green.

The coyotes at Shy Wolf Sanctuary were happy with their new home, and quickly began enjoying the shelter William had built.

To learn more about William’s Eagle Scout project, be sure to read the full article in the News-Press.

To learn more about the positive impact that Scouting can have on young people like William, be sure to check out this article on the recent Tufts study, and watch this video: