Stylish But Illegal Monkey Caught at Ikea

A confused monkey wearing a shearling coat and diaper was found wandering around outside an Ikea store in Toronto

Photo: Lisa Lin

A confused monkey wearing a shearling coat and diaper was found wandering around outside an Ikea store in Toronto on Sunday, sparking a frenzy of #Ikeamonkey tweets and at least two parody accounts on Twitter.

The seven-month-old monkey had apparently figured out how to unlock its crate  and open the car door in order to take a stroll around the Ikea parking lot. ”This is so bizarre,” one witness told the The Globe and Mail. “Like, why is there a monkey at Ikea? I never expected to see that.” Another shopper wondered, “Who brings a monkey to Ikea?”

The Globe and Mail continued:

The monkey was ushered into a corner of the store by Ikea employees and police until animal services arrived. The monkey was unharmed, although it was a bit alarmed with all the attention, police said.

The monkey,  rhesus macaque, is illegal in Ontario. Charges laid against the owner included a $240 fine for keeping a prohibited animal in the city. As of Sunday night, the monkey was still with Toronto Animal Services, though personnel there report that the monkey is keeping warm and no longer feeling nervous.

More from Smithsonian.com:

Monkey Totally Not Into PDA 
Scientists Manipulate Brain Waves of Cocaine-Addled Monkeys to Improve Decision-Making 

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