Step Aside Pizza Rat, 2016’s First Viral Animal Sensation is Doughnut Raccoon!

A new year means that the world must find new things meme-able enough to blow up and become our next round of online phenomena.

For those who don’t remember (or just couldn’t understand why), #PizzaRat captivated the Internet’s attention last summer, when a video of a rodent dragging a slice into the NYC subway blasted off with shares and resulting trends. Pizza Rat might have some competition though, for a raccoon was filmed in Toronto a week ago as it snuck into a coffee-shop and stole a doughnut with the grace and stealth of a ninja.

Peter Jensen explained to the Toronto Sun that the comparisons began when he received comments such as how his video of the little bandit is ‘Canada’s answer to the pizza rat.'” Jensen also talked about he pulled out his camera when he and other customers started giggling as they noticed what was going on.

“At first, I thought it was the wind pushing a tile around, then I saw a nose and thought it was a huge rat,” Jensen said. “And then I saw the hand come down. I started laughing my head off. He has the audacity to be picky. He roots around a little and gets an orange fritter or cruller.”

Jensen gave the video the description of Sly Cooper and the Thievious Donutus, a reference to the video game raccoon character, Sly Cooper. The video was posted on December 29, and already has nearly 1.5 million views.

Watch above, via Peter Jensen’s YouTube account.

[h/t Eater]
[Image via screengrab]

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