Coyote Cutie

Stuart just sent me a story about a coyote who wandered into a downtown Chicago Quiznos:

The day was nice. The front door at 37 E. Adams had been propped open and in walked the coyote. At first the workers thought "it's a dog." Then someone said it looks like a wolf. But a coyote it is indeed.

The manager assures us the visit was not part of marketing a new sandwich. ...

The coyote chose to settle in next to the Gatorade in a front cooler -- perhaps because it felt good on a leg wound that was apparent. But then, where else do you sit when you're a four-legged creature in a sandwich shop, and dozens of people are standing outside looking in the window at you and taking your picture with their cell phones. ...

Despite its failed attempt to leap the sandwich counter, which might have yielded a food bonanza, the coyote was quite passive -- until animal control arrived with pole hook. This is never a fun way to leave a restaurant, but leave the coyote must -- off to get checked out by the city's Animal Control vets.

Mr. Coyote is believed to be about a year old, 35 pounds. The vets think he may have just wandered away from his family. He is in good health, and he will be released, as are all Chicago urban transplanted coyotes, to the Flint Creek Wildlife center in northern Lake County.

The poor thing. I'm glad it was released, unharmed, back into the wild.