Eli Boroditsky thought he hit a big dog while driving to work last week. It was a canine, but it wasn't exactly one that could be kept as a pet.

“I thought it was a German shepherd or a husky,” Boroditsky told CBC. He was driving on the narrow highway of Manitoba, Canada late Wednesday last week when an animal suddenly crossed the dark road.

After hitting the animal, Boroditsky parked his car and searched for it for fear that predators might prey on it, said CNN.

Photo: JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP/Getty Images

He picked up what the thought was a dog, placed it on the floor of his car and drove to the Bothwell Cheese factory in New Bothwell, Manitoba.

Boroditsky got the shock of his life when a co-worker said that he didn't pick up a dog. Rather, it was a coyote.

He said he had no idea that he just rescued a wild animal, and was even surprised at how calm the coyote was.

“It is amazing how docile it was. I was petting it,” he said.

Boroditsky's coworkers claimed that he rescued a female coyote.

It spent the next 11 hours in Boroditsky's car and didn't even defecated or urinated, added CNN.

Boroditsky and his coworkers tried calling conservation officers and rehab centers, but they were told to call back in the morning. Finally, a Manitoba Wildlife conservation officer came by after 9:00 a.m. the next day and took the coyote to the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Center.

Executive director Zoe Nakata said that the animal is now recovering from her injuries and is expected to make full recovery in a few weeks.

The coyote, which according to Nakata is between one and three years old, suffered minor cuts on its face and legs and head trauma during the collision.

Despite Boroditsky's noble act, however, Nakata discourages picking up wild animals “no matter the circumstances.”

“We always always ask people to be cautious and to call people to help,” she said.