The new owners of New Zealand pub Sprig + Fern The Meadows got a big surprise last week when a baby seal waddled into the venue.

The pub revealed on Facebook: “Well… this is a first! Today we had the cutest unexpected visitor wander into the pub…. a baby seal!

“It wandered in all on its own for a little look around, absolutely stealing the show. The Department of Conservation popped in shortly after and safely picked up the pup to make sure it’s all good and back where it should be.

“Only in NZ, right? You truly never know who’s stopping by next!”

Co-owner Bella Evans told Stuff: “When I first glimpsed over I thought it was a dog. I looked back again and was like ‘oh my god that’s a seal, what is going on? Everyone was pretty shocked.”

A customer took his jersey and attempted to usher the pup out the back door, but the seal went into the toilet, then ran out and hid under the pub’s glass dishwasher.

“One of our customers got a dog crate, and we lured it into the crate with salmon, then DOC showed up,” Evans said.

Evans and her partner took over ownership of the pub in Richmond two-and-a-half months ago. She joked to Stuff that the seal came in for their salmon pizza.”

A few days later, the Sprig + Fern The Meadows welcomed another unexpected visitor.

“We’ve officially turned into a zoo,” the owners said. “Jimmy the bearded dragon popped into the pub today and made himself very at home while his owner enjoyed our crowd-favourite mango cider. Sunshine, sips, and surprise scaly visitors… just another day at Sprig.”