It's not every day that you see a zebra chasing a pony across a parking lot in Staten Island . So after the equine division of Giovanni Schirripa's "petting zoo" was let loose, the city Health Department was quick to come knocking at his door.
Yesterday, department officials visited Schirripa's property to investigate his "zoo," which they claim he lacked a license for. Probers cited the aspiring zoologist for three roosters and two peacocks, but the zebra and pony? Nowhere to be found.
“When [the Health Department] first got here, they questioned me about the whereabouts of the zebra,” Schirripa told the Post. “And I told them, I don’t have to tell you anything about the zebra. It’s just not here."
That's because Schirippa, one step ahead of the law (and one behind the zebra), had sent the zebra, named Razzi, and the pony, Casper, to a facility in New Jersey. Because in New Jersey, you don't TECHNICALLY need a license to keep a zebra (or lion or tiger or bear, for that matter).
Even if Schirippa gets off the hook, it may come back to bite him. Literally. “Zebras are wild animals," said biologist Jeff Corwin. "Adult zebras can be very aggressive-- they can even kill each other. It’s not going to stay a baby colt forever.”
If petting zoology isn't his calling, Schirippa may find a career helping other animals who could benefit from being sent to a recovery farm in New Jersey.
