Leesburg, Virginia Zebras Escape From Petting Zoo And Roam Town (VIDEO)

Spotting squirrels, deer or other animals wandering through your backyard can be a pleasant surprise, but residents of Leesburg, Virginia near Washington, D.C. were adding zebras to the list of neighborhood visitors this week.

On Monday, two workers at the Leesburg Animal Park allegedly left a gate open, allowing two zebras to escape. According to NBC Washington, police drove around to protect the zebras from other cars before wildlife officials were able to tranquilize the animals and return them to the zoo.

This week's animal escape was not the first from the Leesburg Animal Park. An African serval cat escaped in 2010. The Loudoun Times reports that the animal was hit by a car but survived.

The zebras' adventure had a happier ending than the exotic animals in Ohio who escaped in October. An animal farm owner freed his pets before taking his own life, forcing police to kill nearly 50 animals, including lions, bears and endangered tigers.

An Ohio group has since proposed that the state ban new ownership of exotic animals.

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.