911 callers: 'I'm not even kidding,' 'There's a zebra in our yard'

Florida Fish and Wildlife says owner did not have permit to keep zebra

Photo byJeneeWatkins

CALLAHAN, Fla. – The callers to the Nassau County 911 center Wednesday afternoon sounded like they didn't expect to be believed -- or they didn't quite believe it themselves.

"I promise you there Is a zebra horse in our yard."
"Somebody has an illegal animal."
"I'm not even kidding."
"I felt a little crazy right then. I’m, like, they’re not going to believe me."

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Yes, a zebra had escaped from Cottonwood Ranch on Old Dixie Highway and was running through a neighborhood north of Callahan, with the owner in a pickup truck in hot pursuit.

"We're on the cul-de-sac down here, basically. But he's going down the road towards the pond. He's definitely wandering."

When the zebra was cornered at the end of Iris Boulevard, the owner shot and killed it with a rifle.

UNCUT: Listen to 911 calls to 911 center

Sheriff Bill Leeper told News4Jax on Wednesday the zebra was injured during the escape and the owner euthanized it with a gun while deputies were at the scene. Witnesses told News4Jax the animal did not appear to be injured and the owner killed the animal so it wouldn't hurt anyone.

"They didn't want it to injure anybody or anything," a neighbor told News4Jax. "They decided to shoot it and put it down."

"I tried to stop him to see if I could get a picture of the zebra and he was like, 'Look, man, I've got to go. They're probably fixing to arrest me,'" the neighbor said.

Jenee Watkins was able to capture a photo of the zebra, named Shadow, while it was still running loose. 

"I had to stop and think a minute," she said. "It's not every day you see a zebra trotting through your neighborhood."

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and Nassau County Animal Control were at the scene, along with deputies, when News4Jax arrived.

Leeper said his department did not know the owner had a zebra. 

You can own a zebra in Florida, though it requires a state permit, which the FWC said the owner of this zebra did not have. The FWC has not said whether the owner will face charges because it is an ongoing investigation.

The FWC hasn't issued its report, but did say no other exotic animals were found at Cottonwood Ranch.