‘Only in Texas.’ Alligator and cow block traffic on separate roads in Houston
Animal crews in Houston had their work cut out for them Wednesday when an alligator and cow disrupted traffic in separate incidents.
It all started at 8 a.m. when traffic cameras showed an escaped cow galloping down I-10 during rush hour, KPRC reported.
Yes - that was a cow on the highway in Houston during the morning rush. Thanks to @KHOU viewers Evelyn Flores and Edgar Ortiz. pic.twitter.com/K9qIDzpgpk
— liz roldan (@lizroldanTX) April 28, 2021
A pedestrian tried to rope the cow, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez wrote in a tweet.
Eventually, a law enforcement vehicle was able to herd the cow up a ramp, according to KPRC.
About 30 minutes later, the cow was resting nearby in a cemetery, KHOU reported. The sheriff’s office livestock team helped wrangle the cow and its owner arrived to pick it up, Gonzalez said.
Great work by our Livestock Team. Cow was rescued, no harm. Owner was on scene. All lanes open. #HouNews https://t.co/v5hcEEPmWZ pic.twitter.com/PgzinaNPrK
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) April 28, 2021
A serious crash happened on I-10 near the incident, but officials said they weren’t sure if it was related, per KHOU.
A few hours later, it was an alligator that had Houston-area drivers tapping their brakes.
Just before noon, the Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 8 posted to Facebook that an alligator had found its way onto the Fred Hartman Bridge, roughly 15 miles from where the cow had disrupted traffic.
Officials said Texas Parks and Wildlife was en route to remove the reptile, but that the gator appeared to be “napping” in the meantime.
La Porte police told KTRK it’s not unusual for alligators to traipse onto roadways, but that one hadn’t been reported on the bridge “in recent memory.”
Video from the scene shows an official trying to wrangle the gator. It appears to lurch at the official just before he gets a restraint around its neck.
Alligator decided to take a detour onto a Houston highway today pic.twitter.com/s4ATaFJero
— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) April 28, 2021
Officials were ultimately able to load the alligator into the back of the truck and reopen traffic.
Police just handcuffed a wild alligator in Houston, Texas. pic.twitter.com/MPIgbRFKaN
— Danny (@dajosc11) April 28, 2021
People on social media got quite a kick out of Houston’s impromptu animal parade.
“First the cow, now this,” one person wrote. “Only in Texas.”
“Alligators on one bridge, and a cow on highway!! Are they having a bad day?” wrote another.
“Just another day in Southeast Texas!” a third wrote.
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