02-06-2025
Zebra Escapes Less Than 24 Hours After Tennessee Owners Brought It Home
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A zebra is still on the loose in Rutherford County, Tennessee, after it escaped on Saturday less than 24 hours after the owners brought it home, a Rutherford County Sheriff's Office (RCSO) spokesperson told Newsweek.
The search continues for the animal, which had spent its weekend "wreaking havoc on the interstate," according to a Facebook post from the RCSO.
Why It Matters
Local officials are trying to corral the zebra after it endangered the public while running through both lanes of traffic on Interstate 24 near Joe B. Jackson Parkway in Rutherford County on Saturday. Lanes in both directions of the interstate were temporarily closed before the owner chased the zebra into the woods.
The zebra remains at large on Monday. It is unclear how it escaped its enclosure.
What to Know
The zebra escaped its enclosure on Saturday, not 24 hours after the owners brought it home on Friday night, the RCSO spokesperson said.
Shortly after its escape, the RCSO posted about the zebra on Facebook. The post sparked thousands of interactions on social media, and it was shared across Facebook more than 1,000 times.
The animal has been causing trouble ever since, with numerous videos shared across social media showing close calls between motorists and the animal as it ran alongside the road. Doorbell cams also captured the zebra wandering through neighborhoods over the weekend.
A stock photo of a zebra.
A stock photo of a zebra.
jeiman/Getty
"UPDATED POST: The zebra search continues Sunday," RCSO posted on Facebook yesterday. "The zebra escaped into a wooded area off Interstate 24 between Joe B. Jackson Parkway and the Epps Mill Road exits Saturday afternoon and could not be located. Owners obtained the zebra Friday night. Cpl. Zach Campbell talked to the owners who are still searching for their lost animal."
Although zebras are "not naturally aggressive," according to the Environmental Literacy Council (ELC), they can exhibit aggressive tendencies if provoked.
Zebras are legal to own in Tennessee, and no special permits are required to acquire one, The Tennessean reported.
The animals can be difficult to catch once they escape because of a "strong ducking reflex," ELC said.
What People Are Saying
ELC said in a website about zebras: " ... [Z]ebras are more aggressive and dangerous than horses. They can bite and kick and are not typically suitable for domestication. Zebras are difficult to domesticate due to their aggressive nature, lack of a family structure, and a strong ducking reflex that prevents easy capture."
Fox 17 Chief Meteorologist Katy Morgan shared a doorbell cam video of the zebra on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday: "Here's something you don't see every day.. a zebra strolling through your neighborhood. This video was caught on Skyler White's ring camera Saturday, in Rutherford Co near I-24."
What Happens Next
Efforts are ongoing to capture the animal. People who see it are asked to call the RCSO at 615-898-7770.
