Bobcat Gets Stuck North Jersey Chicken Coop, Shelter Says

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — A feline in a Sussex County home's chicken coop prompted a State Police and animal control response over the weekend.

Recently, State Police called on Wantage Township Animal Control to handle a baby bobcat that had made its way into a Frankfort Township property's chicken coop.

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Authorities arrived to find that the bobcat, while healthy and uninjured, was having trouble getting out of the chicken coop it had snuck into.

An animal control officer was able to secure the cat with a net and release it back into the wild. It's not clear if there were any chicken casualties in the incident.

"This is just another example of what our job can look like on any given day. Our responses are swift, efficient, and always centered around the safety of the people and animals involved," a Wantage Animal Control statement read. "Wildlife calls can be unpredictable, but with the proper knowledge, equipment, and partnerships, we can help resolve these situations safely."

While bobcats are not listed as endangered globally, the state of New Jersey recognizes the species to be threatened, specifically due to historic habitat loss and fragmentation.

While the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has had the bobcat labeled as endangered since 1991, experts say their population is on a slight rebound, specifically in North Jersey.

Anyone who encounters a dead or injured bobcat should call NJ Fish and Wildlife at 1-877-WARNDEP (1-877-927-6337), or call their local animal control.