Lose a zebra? Animal found wandering streets in Lincoln, taken to Placer shelter
A zebra was found running loose in unincorporated Lincoln on Friday morning — and authorities are hoping to find its owner.
Katie Ingram, manager of Placer County Animal Services, said the zebra was located near Old Highway 65 on the Lincoln-Sheridan border.
She said recent thunderstorms may have stirred the animal to escape — she said the zebra may have been spooked by the storm or a fence may have fallen, allowing it to wander away from its property.
Animal control officers guided the zebra onto a dead-end street to move it off public roads, Ingram said.
“Because they’re not like a horse that is used to people, and they’re more of an exotic wild animal, they had to just kind of slowly corral him on a dead end street because they didn’t want to scare him or have him injure himself,” she said.
Officers then set up a temporary corral.
“They loaded him into one of our livestock trailers safely,” she said. “He’s now currently at our shelter.”
Ingram said the incident was the highlight of the day for her staff.
“We have a big pasture and horse stalls, so he’s safe at our shelter, and we are feeding him.”
Animal services contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which confirmed it is legal to own a zebra in California.
“We really hope his owner comes forward, and we’ll hold on to them safely for them,” Ingram said.
If no owner comes forward, Ingram said the zebra will likely be transferred to a nearby exotic animal sanctuary.
Ingram encouraged the owner to call Animal Services at 530-886-5541 or 530-886-5375.
