A “rare” search is unfolding in a rural Vancouver Island community, and officials say it’s no bull.
The hunt is on for a cow that’s been missing in the District of Metchosin for more than two months and seems to have no intention of being called home.
Officials say the 16-month-old black heifer escaped its farm on Happy Valley Road in April and the elusive animal has yet to be found – though it has been rearing its head in unexpected places.
“Only recently we’ve been getting reports of this animal scaring people, for one, because it’s out at dusk and kind of looks like a bear,” said CRD bylaw officer Don Brown. “It’s also been harassing other animals like horses, for example.”
The cow’s owner told CTV News it’s been spotted infrequently in the area ever since it went missing.
“I was just out there and I had her in the pen and she just jumped the pen and kept on going,” said the cow’s owner Mike, who declined to give his last name.
Brown said the owner has been trying to apprehend the cow for months with no luck because it seems to have become adapted to the environment.
“There’s lots of grass to eat. It seems to be quite happy not to be caught,” he said.
Neighbour Eko Chashai said he’s also seen the cow running around the area, through neighbouring properties and surrounding roads.
“I’ve seen the cow. The cow is black and she’s running like crazy, she’s all over the place and she likes all the vegetation everywhere, so she can eat everywhere and drink everywhere,” he said.
With few leads, authorities are pulling out all the stops to try to find the animal on the loose.
“Usually you can entice them with food or sometimes with another animals,” said Brown. “Maybe a George Clooney kind of bull, I don’t know.”
While bylaw officers say there can be a $100 daily fine for an animal-at-large, authorities are instead working with the owner to bring the feisty heifer back home.
