Lasso, heat-seeking drone fail to corral 900-pound bull loose in Charlotte
UPDATE: The bull was located late Friday, Aug. 11, southwest of the intersection of Interstate 485 and Moores Chapel Road, CMPD reports. The owners euthanized the bull at the scene, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control said.
The original story is below.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is advising people to be on the lookout for a 900-pound, dark brown longhorn bull last seen roaming close to the outskirts of the city limits.
The bull was last seen along Nance Road Thursday morning at 1:00 a.m., police said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. It was first spotted along the 9600 block of Moores Chapel Road Monday evening after it escaped from his owner, police said.
“CMPD Animal Care and Control is working with the owner and is actively seeking information regarding the bull’s location,” police said in a news release Tuesday.
The animal escaped on Monday when it was trying to be moved from a pasture to an enclosed area to prepare for severe weather moving through the area, police said.
The owner, who was on the scene with a lasso and CMPD officers, were unsuccessful in trying to corral the bull, which eventually made its way into a wooded area, police said. Attempts to track the bull with a heat-seeking drone were also unsuccessful.
The Moores Chapel area of Charlotte is close to Interstate 485 in western Mecklenburg County, with homes, businesses and recreation attractions like the Whitewater Center. The location where the bull first got loose is not far from residential areas.
Those who see the bull should maintain a safe distance and contact 311 to provide its location.
You can also use these tips if you see the bull, according to the University of Minnesota:
Be constantly vigilant when the bull is around.
Look for signs of aggression in the bull, such as pawing at the ground.
Don’t turn your back on the bull.
Don’t surprise the bull.
“No one should ever completely trust a bull due to the possibility of an attack,” the university says. “When scared, bulls can unintentionally hurt humans working with them due to their size and strength.”
This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 12:54 PM.
