After a week-long safari-style chase through backyards, highways, and social media feeds, Ed the zebra has finally been captured in Tennessee… safe, healthy, and totally unfazed by his viral fame.
Ed, a pet zebra who bolted from his new home in Christiana on May 31, captured the hearts (and smartphones) of thousands as he roamed freely through neighborhoods and even caused a brief highway shutdown along Interstate 24.
Local authorities, in partnership with a specialist team from Texas, successfully located and secured the wayward zebra in a pasture near a subdivision.
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Ed was airlifted via helicopter to a waiting trailer… a moment that was caught on video and shared online, instantly going viral again.
“This has been a long, stressful week, and I’m just so relieved that Ed is safe, healthy, and unharmed,” said owner Laura Ford, who had just brought Ed home the day before his great escape.
Ed’s unexpected adventure made him an overnight celebrity, with sightings posted all over TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. From galloping through yards to running down streets, Ed quickly became meme material… digitally edited into photos of Waffle House dinners, roadside panhandling, and even touring Tennessee landmarks.
Authorities noted that while the chase amused many online, they were concerned for the safety of both the animal and the community. Fortunately, no injuries occurred during Ed’s wild week on the lam.
This incident comes just a month after a kangaroo briefly shut down a highway in neighboring Alabama, leaving some to wonder: What’s with all the runaway exotic pets in the South?
