An Escaped Pet Zebra Stopped Traffic on a Tennessee Interstate

A zebra is running wild in Tennessee. Drivers outside of Nashville were left stunned when they spotted an escaped pet zebra “wreaking havoc” on the interstate, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.

In fact, sheriff’s deputies were forced to close the interstate because the zebra was zigzagging through traffic on both sides of the highway. The roadway was eventually opened up after the animal disappeared into the woods.

Later, the zebra was spotted meandering through a subdivision, the local ABC affiliate reported.

“It’s like a pony with a big booty,” Suzan Parsons told the outlet after the zebra walked through her backyard. “I watched the neighbors’ children and they were going wild; they were running. They were fenced in, but otherwise they would have been probably catching the zebra.”

Another resident spotted the animal on a rural road.

“This zebra pops up out of nowhere. We had to do a double-take. Like, is that a zebra?” Danielle Pitre told the local NBC affiliate. “It was heading towards the highway, so I was just so scared for it. I just hope it is safe and well and gets captured and found soon.”

The Pet Zebra Remains at Large

The mayhem started one day after the owners obtained their unusual pet, which is legal to own in Tennessee.

The owner told the second outlet that they got their pet from a breeder in Texas. He believes that his cattle may have stomped the fence that failed to keep it contained. The man has a team using drones and other devices to track the animal down.

In a new Facebook post, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the animal “remains at large.”

Several professional tracking groups are involved in the search. A K9 search is scheduled Tuesday, June 3, the fourth day the animal has been on the loose.

Rutherford County District 6 Commissioner Jonathan Beverly was stunned by the missing zebra.

“I can’t believe I’m writing this, but nothing surprises me much anymore,” he wrote on Facebook. “There is a zebra loose near Epps Mill Road, yes…an actual zebra. If seen, please do not approach. Authorities are assisting.”