The steaks are high on the hunt for a Rhode Island fugitive.
A large cow was seen wandering around Johnston, RI, miles from the nearest farm, apparently after slipping from a wholesaler unloading it at a slaughterhouse Thursday night.
The 1,600-pound handlebars were first seen on a neighborhood residential street Thursday morning, WPRI-TV reported. Police and animal control officers were unable to catch or transport the animal. They followed it to a wooded area, where it disappeared from view.
Police confirmed that the cow had escaped from Rhode Island Beef & Veal Inc., which declined to comment.
The animal was first spotted in Johnston, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Providence, by Tho Xaykosy, an Uber driver.
It was about 2 a.m. I was on my way to pick up a passenger, and I’m looking to the left, and there was a cow just hanging around waiting for the red light! When it turned green, the cow goes! “Xaykosy told WJAR-TV.” At first I thought I saw things. I must be tired, but no, that’s really a cow. “
Johnston Police Chief Joseph Razza called for help in finding the animal, citing the public safety dangers of the neutered ox. He said the police were still searching but had not found it or there were no more phone calls about the location. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” he said, The Providence Journal reported. “People must respect nature.”
Social media was littered with messages supporting the animal and offering to save it from slaughter.
“We need to make a lot of noise and let people know we’re fighting for him so they can join in and lend their support!” wrote Providence, RI, resident Victoria Flores on the Rhode Island Vegan Awareness Facebook page. “He fights so hard to be free!”
She said she contacted several shrines in the region to try and help. Several comments on that post said, “We must save the cow!”
WJAR reported that Smokey is offering Chestnut Farm Rescue in Norton, RI, to give the runaway cow a home once it is finally picked up.