A renegade cow has sparked concern among university students and faculty in Pennsylvania after it roamed around Kutztown University’s campus and the downtown area on June 25.
What initially seemed like an amusing incident has now become a matter of public safety, as the loose cowcontinued to evade capture from the police while potentially posing a threat to a large number of students on campus.
According to school officials, the bovine made its first appearance on Kutztown University’s campus in Eastern Pennsylvania on Sunday, which led to school police notifying the public to avoid north campus through its emergency notification system.
In the alert, local authorities described the animal as “aggressive” but frightened due to its unfamiliar surroundings.
Despite initial hopes that the cow would be quickly apprehended, it managed to elude capture.
A subsequent update indicated that the owner of the wandering livestock was en route to retrieve it. However, as the hours passed, it became evident that the cow remained at large, though with no immediate danger to the public.
The cow’s antics were even captured on video by Kutztown resident Aaron Merkel. The video documented the cow sprinting down Main Street, pursued at a distance by a police vehicle with its lights flashing.
A few days later, the cow unexpectedly returned to Kutztown.
Matt Santos, vice president for university relations and athletics, said the incident was a first in the school’s history.
“I’ve been at Kutztown University for three decades, and this is a very unusual situation,” Santos stated. “We’ve never had a situation where livestock is on campus and it wasn’t scheduled to be on campus.”
Officials said that campus faculty managed to momentarily corner the cow near the school’s water tower before it quickly vanished into the surrounding woods, increasing concerns about the safety of the more than a thousand summer campers currently residing on the university’s grounds.
As the search for the renegade bovine continues, university officials are urging caution and advising students, residents and campers not to approach the animal if sighted given the potential risks associated with encountering an aggressive and frightened bull.
Efforts to locate the animal have been ongoing, with search teams scouring the area around Kutztown University. Police have meanwhile advised Kutztown residents stay calm and patient while the bull remains at large.
