WTVM.com and WTVM News Leader 9, Columbus, GA | Abandoned Zebra Being Treated at Auburn University

Abandoned Zebra Being Treated at Auburn University

April 11, 2008

AUBURN, Ala. (WTVM) -- Auburn University's vet school is treating a young zebra who was found on Interstate 75, just south of Atlanta.

   On Tuesday the Department of Natural Resources got a call saying a zebra was on the side of the Interstate.

   Officials were photographing the two month old zebra and kept referring to him as "evidence"... And that's how he got his name.

   "The Department of Natural Resources called us Tuesday morning and said they had a zebra fall out of the back of a truck, and from there he was struck by a car and he was standing there on the side of the highway eating grass," said Charlie Hedgecoth from Noah's Ark, the company that took in Evidence the zebra.

   Noah's Ark -- an animal rescue center in Locust Grove, Georgia -- transported the zebra to Auburn University's Veterinarian School.

   Dr. Huichu Lin treated Evidence, "We thought he might been run over by a car so we took x-rays to make sure there was no fractured leg. Even though there are some bone fragments that we see on the x-ray, we think the laceration will be his primary problem."

   Doctor Lin said that despite Evidence's trauma, he is not aggressive and seems to behave like a normal zebra, "He has some milk and he also eats some hay and grain. His appetite looks pretty good."

   In an estimated two to four weeks, Evidence should be returning to Noah's Ark after his recovery.

   "Hopefully he'll be able to run the field and stuff with the horses, because more or less they're colorful donkeys," said Hedgecoth.

   Vets at the University are giving the young zebra antibiotics at least four times a day until he appears to be better.

   Dr. Lin hopes for a speedy recovery, "Right now we are taking one day at a time and we're hoping that he will continue to do better and better each day. He's a fighter so we're hoping he will continue to do well."  

   Evidence's surgery costs around $5,000 and since Noah's Ark is a non-profit facility, they need your help. If you would like to donate any money to help with the treatment of this poor zebra, you can visit Noah's Ark's website:  http://www.noahs-ark.org/