Pet-friendly tavern thought a ‘dog’ had walked in — but when they realized it was actually 'wild life,' they rang for help
Sunday evenings at neighborhood pubs are usually predictable, candid conversations, familiar faces, and the comforting clatter of glasses behind the bar. At Sprig + Fern The Meadows in Richmond, New Zealand, the evening began just like that until there came a twist. Through the doors entered a small, wide-eyed stranger, who can be seen in a video posted by the pub. At first glance, co-owner Bella Evans assumed someone’s dog had slipped inside, as reported by Associated Press on Thursday, December 4, 2025. The pub was pet-friendly, after all, but the shape was wrong, the movement unfamiliar. When she leaned in, she realized she was staring at a baby fur seal, damp from the weather and looking very much at home.
The young seal, however, seemed unfazed by the commotion. When a patron tried to guide it toward the back door using a sweater, it simply changed course and took the route to the restroom. Moments later, it wedged itself under the dishwasher, a spot it clearly had no intention of vacating. No one expected to be dealing with a whiskered customer hiding beneath kitchen equipment. One customer ran home to fetch a dog crate, and Evans also devised a strategy to lure the little explorer out with a food item the pub happened to be serving that evening. “I just went to my fiancé, I said, grab the salmon! Grab the salmon!”
As the staff kept watch over their unexpected guest, conservation rangers were already on their way. It turned out this was no isolated sighting; “numerous” calls had been made about a wandering seal roaming Richmond. “It was their fourth call for the day,” Evans revealed. “They had been driving around this new-build subdivision trying to find this baby seal.”
When the Department of Conservation arrived, spokesperson Helen Otley praised the bar team’s calm handling of the situation, noting that they “did a great job keeping the seal safe” until help came. The pup was soon transported to Rabbit Island, chosen for its dog-free environment. Otley explained, “They can turn up in unusual places, like this pub, but this is normal exploratory behavior,” she said.
Research supports that behavior. NOAA Fisheries notes that seals, being semi-aquatic, routinely spend time on land to rest, molt, or simply take a break. Young pups, especially, are drawn to moving objects larger than themselves, an instinct that usually keeps them close to their mothers but occasionally leads them into unsuitable places.
Online, the incident quickly drew amused reactions to the clip posted by the pub. Janine Evans joked, “Did he demand a drink on the rocks?” Jayden Scott added, “Never thought I'd see a seal running into a club, normally they run away from them.” And Fiona Knox sealed the moment with, “Officially giving the establishment the ‘seal of approval.’”
For a pub that had seen its fair share of characters, a baby seal hiding under the dishwasher was certainly a first and an unforgettable reminder that even ordinary evenings can take an interesting turn.