Ten years ago my crew and I were on our way to Fire Dispatch to exchange some radios. As we went under on overpass one of my coworkers said he thought that he saw a cow running off of the freeway. We made fun of him, but on our way back to the station we got a call to assist the police with some cows.
When we arrived there were a dozen police cars already on-scene and there were police in full swat gear running around with assault rifles. One of the Herefords had given herself up and was back in the horse trailer that they had managed to get out of. The other cow was in the middle of some blackberry bushes still enjoying the sweet cuisine. The police wanted one of our ladders so that one of their “sharp shooters” could get a clean shot at it.
I grew up with cows so I offered my assistance to the officer in charge. I said, “Let me find a bucket and some gravel and I will get the cow back in it's horse trailer.” I was told that it was too late for that. He said, “These are dangerous wild range cows.” I asked the person who had been transporting them where they came from. She said that they were her neighbor's cows and that they had grown up in her neighborhood on five acres. They were both cows that were easily led into the trailer without any coercion.
About that time the police sharp shooter started shooting the cow with his AR-15 style rifle. He shot it several times before the cow finally fell over and eventually bled to death. Despite the fact that the cows were on their way to the butcher I still think the whole situation was still sad and made our police officers look like a bunch of buffoons.
After my experience I am very skeptical as to whether the slaughter of dozens of these extremely rare and valuable animals was necessary especially those that were killed within sight of their pens. These weren't wild animals... they were animals that were used to being fed on a schedule.
“The cops had no experience, but they were caged animals and had been until someone opened their pins, most of them would have gone back to the place they would normally feed. But I can understand the cops fear. Those zebras have a terrible bite.”
That is pretty much what the handler said to the news tonight.The only thing was it was the time of day.If it had been light he may have been able to get the wild cats back since most had been raised since they were cubs there.He said though that the bears and wolf had to be put down.