North Texan shares photo of a wealthy neighbor’s 3 gigantic pets, sparking concerns: ‘I doubt that fence will hold’
A North Texas resident recently shared a photo that caught many people off guard: three enormous animals standing calmly behind a "wealthy" neighbor’s fence. The sight was so unexpected that the person decided to post it online, curious about how unusual it really was. The image, shared on Reddit on November 4, 2025, quickly drew attention as people wondered how such massive animals ended up in an ordinary neighborhood and whether the fence was strong enough to keep them from getting out.
As reported by Reddit user u/kdeweb24, the neighbor owns three rhinos, two adults and a calf, and keeps them on private property separated only by a basic fence and a hot wire. Once the post went up, users began reacting with surprise and concern. One person commented that they “have doubts that the fence is going to hold if something spooks them,” hinting that the animals could burst through without much effort. Another user compared the setup to stronger structures at their local zoo, saying the barrier there uses “welded 4-inch steel tube… buried in concrete.” They added that the rhinos in the photo might “not even notice the fence” was there.
Some shared personal experiences, too. A user by the handle u/decoded-dodo mentioned a friend from a zoo who always said rhinos were like “giant Golden Retrievers,” meaning gentle but still capable of aggression when stressed. They shared, "They are incredibly docile creatures, but can get aggressive when they feel threatened, but give them something like a ball, and they forget what they were mad about." Another person described meeting a rhino that acted “exactly like a puppy." They added, "It even played fetch with us and a giant plastic ball. We were on the other side of some serious 'bars' for safety, but I don't think that animal would have harmed any of us on purpose."
Another user, u/slowgold20, who works at a zoo occasionally, explained they call rhinos “armor dogs” because they are playful and “100% food motivated,” but still require far more than a simple hot wire for safe containment. In later comments, the Reddit user offered more details about the animals in the photo. They said the two closest rhinos were a breeding pair, while the one farther back was their calf. They also explained there was a hot wire stretching about three feet high inside the fence and believed it carried a stronger voltage than what ranchers use for livestock.
The discussion soon expanded to the bigger question of owning exotic animals in Texas. According to Spectrum Local News, the state allows some unusual pets, though rules vary. Wild animals like lions require a certificate of registration, and endangered species need special permits with proper filing and approval. Kangaroos, on the other hand, are legal without major restrictions. Experts have repeatedly noted that wild animals come with complicated needs. A University of North Texas professor, Andrew Gregory, has explained that they differ in diet, instinct, and health needs, and that caring for them is a serious responsibility. He added, “They have different responses to diseases.”