Photo: BERND WUESTNECK/dpa/AFP via Getty
A zebra was fatally shot in Germany this week, after escaping from the circus andrunning onto a local highway.
On Wednesday morning, two zebras escaped from Circus Barlay, a traveling circus which was in the northeastern town Tessin at the time,The Guardianreported.
Although one of the animals was captured, the “second zebra remained missing for hours,” Rostock district police said in apress release.
“After a traffic accident, several instances of property damage and several unsuccessful attempts to capture the animal, the animal was shot with one shot in the area,” police said, noting that “the precise circumstances leading to the need to shoot are not clear.”
A spokesperson for Rostock city authorities toldThe Guardianin a statement that a tranquilizer dart had not been an option as the “uncontainable zebra” posed a threat and had to be shot from far away.
However, a witness told German newspaperDie Welt, “there was no danger,” according to the outlet.
“He was exhausted, his head was down,” she added.
BERND WUSTNECK/dpa/AFP via Getty
“Everybody burst into tears,” Carla Jenkins told the outlet. “We didn’t know they wanted to shoot him. We would have done anything. Really anything to stop that man.”
“We are devastated. It is such a big loss for our family. He was a really good animal,” she added.
The owners of Circus Barlay have said they will press charges against the person responsible for the zebra’s death,The Guardianreported.
source: people.com
