In an unexpected turn of events, a pet zebra named Ziggy made a brief escape from its home in south Reno last Sunday, only to be swiftly recaptured by its owner. This incident caught the attention of local residents and the Washoe County Regional Animal Services (WCRAS), who received multiple calls regarding the wandering zebra. However, despite their efforts to locate Ziggy, they were unable to do so before the owner successfully rounded up the runaway.
Around 2:30 p.m. that day, one resident called WCRAS after seeing a post on Nextdoor about the zebra's escape. Interestingly, no officer was dispatched at that time since the individual had not actually witnessed Ziggy in person. An hour later, at approximately 3:30 p.m., another call confirmed the existence of a zebra named Ziggy residing near the sighting location.
An officer arrived at the scene around 5 p.m., yet Ziggy remained elusive. The situation was clarified the following day when the zebra's owner reported that Ziggy had indeed escaped for a mere 10 to 15 minutes on the 8th.
It's worth noting that in Washoe County, there are no specific regulations or permits required for owning a zebra; they are categorized similarly to horses under local laws.
A video shared by a viewer captures the moment Ziggy was seen trotting down a residential street along Huffaker Lane, highlighting just how unusual it is to see a zebra in a suburban setting.
This incident raises intriguing questions about the ownership of exotic pets: Should there be stricter regulations for owning animals like zebras? Or does the current system work well enough? We’d love to hear your thoughts—do you think owning a zebra should require special permits? Let us know in the comments!
