Let’s seal some ID.
A seal well below the legal drinking age waddled into a New Zealand bar – and was promptly ejected by staff.
The sea mammal – a fur seal about the size of a lap dog – hopped its way into a bar in Richmond, on the north end of NZ’s South Island, on Sunday as patrons were enjoying craft beer and pizza.
A baby fur seal waddled into the Sprig + Fern The Meadows craft beer bar in Richmond, New Zealand. AP
The adorable seal entered a restroom before hiding under the bar’s dishwasher. APMost initially thought the creature was a dog in the pet-friendly bar — until they looked again.
“Everyone was in shock,” bar owner Bella Evans said. “Oh my gosh. What do we do? What’s going on?”
The pup slipped through the bar’s open front door and dashed under a table, then raced out and flopped its way down the length of the bar before making its last stand in the bathroom.
Bar staff were hot on its flippers, however, and chased the animal down and corralled it safely with a sweater.
A patron then ran home and brought back a dog crate, then people lured the pup inside using the pub’s daily special pizza topping – salmon.
“I said, grab the salmon! Grab the salmon!” Evans said.
A bar patron grabbed a sweater and tried to usher the seal out of the back door. APAnimal control was called once the seal was secured, and patrons had a fun few minutes feeding the fella scraps of fruit while they waited.
Officers arrived and took the pup away – but revealed they’d been on its trail for days after receiving “numerous” reports of the animal showing its furry face around town.
“It was their fourth call for the day,” Evans said. “They had been driving around this new-build subdivision trying to find this baby seal.”
Conservation rangers soon arrived at the scene. AP
New Zealand’s conservation agency confirmed it received “numerous” reports from the public about a seal spotted in Richmond on Sunday before the cute creature turned up at the pub. APThe seal was carried off and released at nearby Rabbit Island, an environment considered safe for the animals thanks to its lack of dogs.
The seal was released on nearby Rabbit Island, considered a safe location because of its dog-free status, said Department of Conservation spokesperson Helen Otley. APLoose little seals are apparently common in New Zealand at this time of year, which local scientists refer to as “silly season” for the animal’s tendency to turn up in odd places.
“Everyone was in shock,” Bella Evans, the bar’s co-owner, said. APBar staff said the animal was welcome back any time – and that they’ll keep salmon on the menu just in case.
“There’s been the running joke that we’ve got the seal of approval,” Evans said.
