A surprising video shows a coyote being pulled from a refrigerator at an Aldi in Chicago, leaving shoppers stunned and amused.
Chicago: So, there was this wild scene at an Aldi store on the West Side. A video popped up online showing a coyote being pulled out of a fridge. Can you believe it?
This all happened at the Aldi on Kedzie Ave. around 9:45 a.m. The coyote had dashed into the store and made a beeline for the produce section. The Chicago Police were the first to respond, trying to corner the little guy hiding behind the refrigerated items.
Shoppers were totally shocked as officers struggled to get the coyote out. They finally managed to pull it out by its tail, but the coyote just ran right back to the fridge. People were left in disbelief!
Animal Care and Control got a bunch of calls about the situation, but it took a while for them to arrive due to budget cuts and staff shortages. Eventually, animal control officers took the coyote into custody.
Liza Lehrer, who works at the Urban Wildlife Institute, saw the video and said it was surprising but not totally unexpected. She explained that colder weather can make wildlife more active during the day.
The coyote was taken to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation for an assessment. Thankfully, it looked uninjured, and they’ll decide if it can be released back into the wild.
No one got hurt during this wild encounter. Coyote sightings are pretty common in Chicago, and this isn’t the first time one has wandered into a food place. Back in 2007, a coyote strolled into a Quiznos during lunchtime!
In fact, there have been a lot of coyote complaints in the city lately. Experts say these animals are just trying to avoid people, especially during their mating season from January to March.
Animal Care and Control advises folks to keep their pets leashed and secure food sources to avoid attracting coyotes. If you see one, make yourself look big and shout, but don’t run away!
