Pet zebra captured after 8 days on the loose in Rutherford County

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The pet zebra that escaped captivity in Rutherford County has been captured after a search that lasted more than a week.

According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the zebra, affectionately nicknamed “Ed,” was caught Sunday, June 8 in a field near the Buchanan Estates subdivision of Christiana.

The zebra was airlifted by helicopter and lowered into an animal trailer to await its return to its owners.

Officials said the rescue was a combined effort involving the RCSO, Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

According to the RCSO, the zebra’s owner first brought it home Friday, May 30 and reported it missing the following morning.

The zebra was spotted by bystanders on Epps Mill Road before making its way to Interstate 24, where deputies closed several lanes of traffic on Saturday, May 31.The zebra then escaped into a wooded area off I-24, between Joe B. Jackson Parkway and the Epps Mill Road exit, and was not seen for several days.

Prior to Sunday’s operation, Ed was spotted on Friday, June 6 in a field near Ridgewood Drive in Christiana. RCSO announced that deputies saw the missing zebra through a drone camera and were working with a veterinarian to safely rescue the animal.The animal’s escape turned it into quite the local celebrity, with people around Middle Tennessee creating a barrage of memes of “zebra sightings” at various local businesses and events.

No additional information was immediately available about what is next for Ed.