Cows Create 'Utter' Chaos In River Falls, Wis.
RIVER FALLS, Wis. (WCCO) -- It's not that unusual for cows to get out of their pastures and wander onto a country road. But for some folks in River Falls, Wis., it looked like these cows were trying to make a real break for it.
It was a cold, quiet Sunday afternoon on a farm just outside River Falls, Wis. Paul Haskins just returned home with a new heifer and a new calf when a couple of them charged through a five foot fence.
"She just ran down the road and literally had a mile on us before we were even out of the driveway," said Haskins. "That was the last thing I saw, a cow running down the road."
Haskins and his son got in the cars. His sister saddled up the horses to give chase to the cows that were long gone.
"My son had the bright idea to call the police to see if anyone had asked about cows and they said, 'oh yeah, they're all over,'" said Haskins.
The two cows had headed the two miles into the city of River Falls, walking past the elementary school and toward the power plant along the river. They walked through neighborhoods along the way.
"It was just bizarre," said Nicole Pizza. "I had lived in this town my while like, never seen that before."
River Falls squad cars with lights followed the cows to make sure they didn't hurt anyone or get hurt themselves.
At one point, officers and the UW-River Falls farm lab tried to corral them into a trailer, but they took off.
"The white one was more stubborn, stayed in town for a while," said River Falls Police Sgt. Jeff Sather.
After two hours of herding, the cows returned home safely. They have since been separated to prevent another break-out.
"They're in solitary for the next week or so," said Haskins, laughing.
Despite their adventures, the cows are OK -- just a few scratches. It's a result that the Haskins are thankful for because the heifer is due with a baby calf in May.
