A surprising and funny scene unfolded at an Aldi grocery store in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood on Monday when a coyote was found inside the store. Shoppers were shocked to see a coyote being pulled out of the refrigerated section by two officers, and the moment was captured on video and shared widely on social media.
The officers used broomsticks to poke around the shelves, trying to locate the animal. Eventually, one officer grabbed what seemed to be the coyote’s tail sticking out from the shelves and yanked it out, causing the wild animal to land on the floor. The coyote quickly ran back between cold products but was later safely captured by animal control at around 10 a.m.
The gray coyote was taken into custody and brought to a local animal control facility. The Chicago Animal Care and Control department stated that the coyote appeared uninjured, and it would be transferred to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation for further health checks. If the coyote is found to be healthy, it will be released back into the wild.
A witness reported seeing the coyote wandering around the parking lot before it sneaked into the store. Experts believe the animal was trying to find a safe place to hide, as coyotes sometimes mistakenly wander into unusual spots while trying to avoid humans. Stan Gehrt from the Cook County Coyote Project explained that coyotes often search for new hiding places, and it’s not uncommon for them to end up in places like stores.
This unusual event caused quite a stir among shoppers, who got to see the coyote’s surprise adventure in the store before it was safely caught and taken to a rehabilitation center.
