Bizarre Couple in Staten Island Went Window Shopping

 No, this isn’t something out of a magical children’s book, where the two animals prance together in a field of golden wheat. It’s a nondescript strip mall in Staten Island. And the animals are very real.

Zachary Osher, owner of Metropolitan Drape & Blind, must have thought he needed another cup of coffee this morning when he saw two unlikely animals outside his window. “I was sitting at my desk at about 9:20 when I saw a zebra and pony run back and forth across the street, almost getting hit by a car,” he told the Staten Island Advance.

Osher grabbed his iPhone and started recording the zebra and pony sprinting through the parking lot. When the two made it out to Victory Boulevard, a busy two-lane road that weaves through Staten Island, they dashed out of the frame, dodging traffic as cars honked.

We’re not quite sure what he hoped his kissing noises would accomplish – these animals were clearly on a mission. “Thirty seconds later, I saw two men in dark black suits carrying lassos running across the street,” Osher told the Advance.

While many were left speculating just where the animals came from – the Staten Island Zoo is seven miles away – police reported to the New York Times that by 2:30 p.m. the pair were returned home, to a petting zoo at Victory Boulevard and Travis Avenue just a few blocks away.

While their daring, Madagascar-style escape was foiled, NewsFeed is glad the animals weren’t hurt; maybe they’ll get to frolic again in the sequel.

By Nick Carbone
TIME