Erin go llama: Escaped circus animals bring Dublin’s major highway to a three-ring standstill

Llama drama: Circus animals snarl Dublin traffic

DUBLIN — Dublin’s traffic is often snarled, but this could be the first time llamas are to blame.

Five of the South American animals along with two goats ran rampant Thursday on the Irish capital’s major ring road, the M50, causing 5-mile (8-kilometer) traffic jams. Police eventually corralled the animals safely into a trailer.

Circus owner Alexander Scholl says his animals bolted when fuel delivery men left a gate open. He rejects rival circus owners’ claims that he deliberately loosed the llamas to gain attention for his Circus Sydney, which previously has lost elephants and a wallaby.

“There’s no way this was a publicity stunt. If these llamas hit a car and killed somebody, who are they going to arrest, me or the llamas?” Scholl said.