Chicago Police Step In to Remove Coyote from Aldi’s Cold Storage

Chicago residents were treated to an unexpected twist in their morning grocery runs on January 13, 2025, when a wild coyote entered an Aldi store in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. The bizarre incident unfolded at 800 N. Kedzie Ave., leaving shoppers stunned and sparking a flurry of online chatter as videos of the event quickly went viral.

The drama began at about 9:45 AM when a coyote was spotted wandering around the store’s parking lot. The animal claimed an eyewitness, appeared in a hurry, darting into the supermarket and then taking refuge in the refrigerated section. It lay under the deli items and fine cheeses, apparently oblivious to the drama it had caused.

“At first, I thought it was a dog. But when it ran past me into the produce section, I realized it was a coyote!” said Maria Gonzalez, still visibly shaken. “I never thought I’d see wildlife that close, especially not while picking up groceries.”

Chicago Police and Animal Care and Control officers responded quickly to the unusual call. Videos captured officers carefully navigating the shelves using brooms and dustpans to coax the frightened animal out of its hiding spot. The scene reached a climax when one officer gently grabbed the coyote by its tail, safely removing it from the store.

Amazingly, nobody was hurt in the chaos. The stunned onlookers and employees witnessed the incident, cheering as the coyote was finally restrained.

The coyote was returned to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation for a thorough health check. The officials said the animal seemed uninjured but understandably shaken.

“This time of year, coyotes are particularly active because of their mating season,” said Dr. Emily Sanders, a wildlife expert. “It’s not out of the ordinary for them to wander into an urban area, but to go into a grocery store is out of the ordinary, definitely.”

Further actions by the rehabilitation center include maintaining this coyote’s health and instinct retention and letting it be released in a suitable wild habitat remote from urban circles if such an animal is good for release.

This and other incidents tend to raise interest in coyotes found in urban jurisdictions. Experts attribute this trend to urban sprawl and animals that adapt easily to environmental changes. Estimations have indicated that more than 4,000 coyotes may roam the greater Chicago metropolitan region, mostly doing so extremely well because they find abundant food sources and suitable shelter.

”Coyotes are very, very resilient animals,” Dr. Sanders said. “They have learned how to coexist with people, which sometimes brings them into your life when you don’t want them there.”

It will be a story to tell for many years for those shoppers and employees who happened to be in Aldi that day. Not every day does one encounter a coyote roaming around the cold storage of their neighborhood grocery.

“It was surreal,” said Gonzalez. “I’m just glad everyone—including the coyote—was safe.” This Humboldt Park coyote is something of a local celebrity, with the videos continuing to rack up online views: a reminder in these times when life in the wild cuts through urbanity in ways so surprisingly uncontrollable.