For an hour and a half, Scooby the camel was free to explore Springfield Township.
The adorable, friendly 1 1/2-year-old camel left his owner's nearby property Friday afternoon and walked on Dorr Street near North McCord Road. He slowed traffic, but passing motorists seemed more concerned with snapping his picture.
And in the end, it was a neighbor studying animal welfare at Stautzenberger College who reported his escape to law enforcement. Lucas County sheriff's deputies were on scene about 3 p.m.
Nicole Heffner, 21, was coming home from work when she saw cars backing up. He's a friendly camel who loves his owner, she said.
“All of a sudden, I was like, 'Camel's out!' ” she said.
The neighbors helped corral Scooby and return him home.
Owner Nabil Shaheen, 54, happily walked with Scooby back to the property. He was outside the county when he learned of the camel's status.
“I was in Woodville, I got a call, ‘Your camel is loose.’ How, I have no idea. It's all fenced in,” Mr. Shaheen said.
It was a frightening situation, Mr. Shaheen said, and he is glad no one was hurt. He purchased Scooby as a baby.
Mr. Shaheen praised Ms. Heffner for calling immediately as well as sheriff's deputies for their help.
“They were awesome. They're here for us,” Mr. Shaheen said.
Contact Ryan Dunn at rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @RDunnBlade.
First Published November 17, 2017, 10:13 p.m.
