Why Were a Mini Horse and a Zebra Running Free Around Staten Island? (With Video)

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

Two men wearing suits, running through a parking lot wielding lassos as they chased after escaped zoo animals might sound like a skit from silent black and white comedy, but it was really just another day in New York City.

The Staten Island Advance reports a zebra and a miniature horse were spotted trotting through a shopping center parking lot Wednesday morning in Staten Island.

Metropolitan Drape & Blind owner Zachary Osher saw the runaway animals and shared his video with the newspaper.

"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," Osher told the Advance. "About 30 seconds later, I saw two men in dark black suits carrying lassos running across the street."

Watch this report from CBS with footage of the scene:

A police spokesman said the animals were corralled and returned to a petting zoo. CBS reported that capturing the animals, who were not harmed, took more than five hours though. It also noted that they escaped from a Christmas tree sales lot. The owner selling the trees had brought in the equines to attract customers.

Here's the original footage of the animals running through the parking lot posted on YouTube:

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

(H/T: GeekOSystem)