Visitors to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California, were shocked and confused after spotting a dog in a dangerous predicament inside a gorilla enclosure on June 12.
Video recorded by Ryan Judson captures the initial reaction of onlookers as a stray dog was spotted running about the gorilla enclosure, narrowly avoiding the two apes within.
A worried bystander can be heard asking in the video, “Where is the person who works here?” Another person later asks, “Whose dog is it?”
Judson said that after the video, his family and the other visitors at the enclosure were escorted out by employees of the zoo.
“As we were walking out, other workers were running over to the exhibit on radios to assist,” Judson told Storyful. “The dog was super scared and panting, and the gorillas were not happy about it being in there.”
According to a KUSI journalist, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park made a statement saying the dog was “successfully removed and no Safari Park animals, staff, or guests were harmed.”
Local news reported that the dog was a shepherd with no microchip, and he was currently being held on stray hold as they searched for a potential owner. Credit: Ryan Judson via Storyful
Video transcript
– What is that?
– Oh my god.
– Why does it want to chase him?
– That is not good.
– Why does it want to chase him?
– A dog.
– A dog?
– Dog’s supposed to be with the cheetahs. Look. We got to go over there.
– [GASPING]
– Oh, no.
– Oh, he’s gone.
– Where is the person that works here?
– [INAUDIBLE]
– Someone’s got to go tell– go tell the lady in the stands right there.
– There’s someone– there should be a number right there.
– No.
– This way.
– [INAUDIBLE]
– No, no.
– Oh, no. Oh, that’s sad.
– Daddy, why did you say that’s sad? Dad, why did you say that’s sad? Dad, why did you say that that’s sad?
– Because there’s a doggie in there it’s not supposed to be in there.
– Can the gorillas take the dog?
– Yeah.
– Why?
– Is the gorillas [INAUDIBLE]?
– Call my manager. I’m like, call him right now.
– There’s usually always someone right there.
– That is not good. There was a doggie.
– Hey, Sam. There’s a dog in the exhibit.
– There’s a dog in here. The gorillas are after it.
– You can see it.
– Did you call them?
– They’re on it right here. I just heard them trying to get it. It’s right here. Oh no, look out.
– Oh my God. Oh my God.
– Oh, don’t come down here.
– Where are the people?
– Hey, the dog’s coming down here, guys.
– Hurry!
– Go down the steps right here! Look at the steps! Look at the steps!
– Oh, my gosh.
– Doggie! [WHISTLING] The steps right here.
– Come on, the stairs! Puppy!
– Doggie, the stairs.
– Oh, no.
– Want a treat? Come on.
– No.
– Whose dog is it?
[WHISTLING]
– Come on, Frankie!
– Come on! Come on!
– Let’s go, Frankie!
– There you go! Good boy!
– I’m surprised he’s not, like–
– Oh, my God.
– Oh that’s not good.
– Run, run, run!
– Oh God.
– Oh my God. Oh my god.
– That thing is fast.
– What the fuck? How did he get in there?
– I don’t know.
– Frank! Frank! Franklin! Franklin! Franklin! Franklin! Franklin!
– No.
– Franklin!
– Frankie!
– Hey, Frankie! Stay right there! Franklin! Hey, good boy!
– You better get him something better than grass.
– Good job! Go, go, go!
– There’s steps over there, if the dog would go down.
[CROWD CHATTER]
– Frankie!
– [INAUDIBLE]
– Oh, there he goes. He just went down.
– Frankie, buddy!
– Is the dog all right?
– He went down the–