An Iowa police department is warning residents to be on the lookout for a "dangerous" and "aggressive" runaway water buffalo that escaped from its owner's property, where it was being loaded for meat processing when it got loose over the weekend.
Pleasant Hill police, along with Polk County sheriff's deputies, have been working to locate and subdue the animal, according to a Monday news release by the police department. A Pleasant Hill officer shot and wounded the water buffalo with a shotgun, and body camera footage captured the encounter.
The water buffalo escaped his owner as he was heading off to slaughter, the Iowa Farm Sanctuary (IFS) told ABC News. The IFS hopes the animal, which has been nicknamed "Hank" on its Facebook feed, can be found and sent to a sanctuary instead of the original plan of being sent to the slaughterhouse.
"The property owner rents out this land to the owner of the water buffalo," the organization stated in a social media post. "There are two more buffalo there and the owner of the property has asked us to take them. We have agreed to take the other two Buffalo, but at this time, they are still someone else’s property. So we wait."
"If Hank is found alive, we will be doing everything we can to ensure we can get him to the vet immediately," the IFS added.
Pleasant Hill police initially responded to a report of an animal in the road Saturday, according to the department. When the owner told the department that the water buffalo was aggressive, officers began working with Des Moines Animal Control to get the animal back home. But both agencies found this task to be easier said than done.
"Neither the collaborating animal control department nor we have tranquilizers or equipment to handle such a unique situation," the police department stated.
Police caught up with the water buffalo they day it got loose, and this "led the animal to show its aggressiveness toward Pleasant Hill officers which resulted in one round being fired from a shotgun, injuring the animal," according to the agency.
Footage from the one of the officers' body cameras captured the confrontation. After being wounded, the water buffalo fled and has been successful in eluding authorities.
Pleasant Hill police are working with Polk County sheriff's deputies, and they're using drones to search the area where "Hank" was last seen. Officers on ATVs are checking bicycle trails near a creek, as well. Police are also "partnering with local individuals who have expertise in containing this type of animal."
"The safety of the Pleasant Hill community is our top priority," stated the department. "With a dangerous animal loose in our community, we are using all resources available to keep our community safe and attempt to return the animal to its owner, if possible."
