Escaped cows cause havoc on Bellingham roads. One remains on the lam
Two cows were on the loose after escaping their trailer in Bellingham over the weekend, causing multiple traffic hazards and delays. One of the cows was safely apprehended, while the other remains at large somewhere in the city.
The two bovine fugitives escaped on Saturday, Aug. 10 and posed a threat to public safety by running in the roadway just after 8:00 a.m. near East Sunset Drive and Hannegan Road, according to Megan Peters with the Bellingham Police Department.
Officers pursued the cows in their vehicles, using their sirens to warn motorists and attempt to scare the animals off the road. The cows seemed to ignore the police sirens and refused to pull over or listen to police commands while violating multiple traffic and driving laws.
The names of the cows are unknown at this time.
“You’d be surprised how often subjects refuse to give their names to officers even when officers are just trying to be helpful,” Peters said.
It is unclear whether communication challenges with the subjects were a result of any possible language barriers.
The cows appear to have decided it was better to split up to escape the pursuit of law enforcement. One was later spotted near the trail system at Woburn Street and East Illinois, while the other was reported around the wooded area near the Sportsplex Arena at 1225 Civic Field Way.
The fugitives laid low for the next several hours before one of them was discovered around 11:30 p.m. near the intersection where it originally escaped. Although the animal appeared exhausted from its excursion, it still took the owners, the police and several good Samaritans a while to secure it in the trailer.
The Bellingham Police Department is asking anyone who encounters the cow that remains on the loose to contact the Whatcom Humane Society.
However, if the animal is in a roadway and posing a threat to traffic, members of the public should call 911.
Laura Clark with the Humane Society said people can call (360) 733-2080 ext. 3017 to reach the animal control dispatch line, which is staffed Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
During after-hours, animal control can be reached by calling 911.
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