Loose Bull Put Down by Police After Attacking Owner and Vehicles
Charging officers and mounting a moving vehicle, a bull in Sparta, New Jersey was put down by police after it attacked and seriously injured its owner.
Prior to the incident, police received several calls from neighbors who reported that a cow was approaching passing cars. According to ABC 7,one passing driver thought the animal was harmless and rolled down her window to pet the bull, even feeding it cereal.
Calling the police herself, Wendy McDermott, the animal’s owner, told officers the “cow” was actually a bull and said that the animal had been acting “highly aggressive” recently, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Jumping into her vehicle, McDermott tried to coax the bull back onto her property by rolling down her window and using a bucket of grain to get the animal’s attention.
Officer Arlene Lippencott told police that she saw the "bull bumping Mrs. McDermott’s vehicle and trying to mount it several times," according to the statement from Sparta Township Police.
Once McDermott got the bull back to her estate, she exited her vehicle to put the animal back in its pen. That’s when the bull became extremely aggressive.
Knocking McDermott to the ground, the bull began to repeatedly injure its owner before police could step in to assist.
"[The owner] was screaming that the bull was going to kill her and needed to be shot," police told NBC Philadelphia.
After putting the animal down, paramedics arrived at the scene to doctor McDermott. The owner sustained several bruises to her upper body along with a head laceration requiring 40 stiches.
Lieutenant John Lamon told ABC 7 that the owner’s injuries could have been much more severe. "When you're dealing with an animal that's 1,100, 1,200 pounds, all they have to do is just strike you with their body and they can cause serious injury, if not fatal," he said.
Harmless at birth, it only takes a few months before a young bull starts to become dangerous. It is important to remember that these animals can be deadly and should be taken care of with the upmost caution.
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