Escaped donkeys on Vienna's Westeinfahrt: Police close lane and improvise halters

The animals had escaped from an enclosure in the Lainzer Tiergarten. Exactly how they managed to escape from the walled animal park remains unclear. The Lainzer Tiergarten is an expansive nature reserve surrounded by a wall on the western edge of Vienna, where wild animals are kept among other things.

Unclear escape route from the animal park

Neither humans nor animals were injured, police reported. They were taken back by their owner in a trailer. This brought the nocturnal outing of the two donkeys to a happy end, as police summarized.

According to police, the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. in the night leading into Saturday. At that time, the Westeinfahrt, one of the most important access roads to the west of Vienna, was only partially passable.

The Vienna Police spoke of an animal-related operation in which the officers had reacted quickly and calmly. The closure of the right lane had also prevented cars from driving into the animals or the donkeys from ending up further on the roadway through uncontrolled evasive maneuvers.

Happy ending for humans and animals

Exactly how the two donkeys were able to escape from the walled enclosure is the subject of further investigations. Police did not rule out that a gate or other opening had not been properly closed.

The owner of the animals eventually picked up the donkeys with a trailer and transported them back to the enclosure in the Lainzer Tiergarten. This ended the operation for police after a few hours.

The Westeinfahrt connects the inner west of Vienna with the Westautobahn (A1) and is a heavily traveled route. Even though traffic is lighter at night, the operation caused short-term disruptions.

Consequences and reactions

Police thanked the attentive drivers who had reported the incident. Their quick tip had helped officers intervene in time.

The Lainzer Tiergarten, where the donkeys are kept, is a popular excursion destination on the outskirts of Vienna. In addition to donkeys, wild boars, deer, and other wild animals live there in expansive enclosures.

Police announced that they would use the incident as an opportunity to review the security measures around the affected enclosure. The goal is to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Background: The Lainzer Tiergarten

The case is reminiscent of similar incidents in other cities where livestock or wild animals were briefly on the roads. In Vienna, it is rare for donkeys to escape from the Lainzer Tiergarten.

Overall, the incident shows how important quick tips from the public are for police. The drivers who called police in the night leading into Saturday made a significant contribution to the safe conclusion of the operation.

The APA reported on the incident on July 11, 2026. The Vienna Police confirmed the information to the APA.