The eventful escapade of Ed, a pet zebra who broke free from his owner’s property, has concluded with his capture by Tennessee authorities on Sunday. This runaway pet zebra’s week-long bid for freedom captivated online audiences and caused significant real-world disruption before he was safely secured.
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office announced Ed’s capture via a Facebook post, which included a video showing the zebra being airlifted to an animal trailer. “Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office is happy to report Tango 82 aviation crews located Zebra Ed and returned him to his owner Sunday,” the Sheriff’s Office said in their statement. Ed’s journey began on May 30, merely a day after his arrival in Christiana, a community in central Tennessee. According to Patrol Lt. Kenneth Barrett, the escaped zebra created “havoc” on his first day of liberty, darting through traffic on Interstate 24 near Joe B. Jackson Parkway in Rutherford County. This led to a temporary closure of the interstate before Ed vanished into nearby woodlands, eluding sight for several days.
Ed, the runaway pet zebra, photographed by a patrol deputy in Tennessee shortly after his May 30 escape.
Ed reappeared on Thursday, sparking concern from his owners that increased public attention might scare him off permanently. Online, however, the Tennessee zebra became a local legend, inspiring numerous internet memes depicting him at iconic Tennessee spots like Waffle House. One enthusiastic local resident even baked a cake in his honor. The Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and a local veterinarian to facilitate his capture. By Sunday morning, Ed was located in a pasture and finally restrained.
Escapes involving wild or exotic animals are not unprecedented in the United States. For example, last November, a “sizable group” of rhesus monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in South Carolina. Their period of freedom was considerably longer than Ed’s, with the last of these monkeys only finally caught in late January 2025.
Though Ed the zebra’s time on the run lasted just over a week, his spirited adventure captured the public’s imagination. His safe return to his owners marks the end of a unique local saga that briefly brought a touch of the wild to central Tennessee.
