Steak out: Edmonton police not concerned with costs of watching fugitive bull
EDMONTON - Police in Edmonton say a day-long standoff with a rogue bull didn't cost the force extra money and the animal's owner will not be charged.
Police spokesman Chad Orydzuk (OHRD'-zick) describes Wednesday's cattle caper as a minor accident, not a crime.
The bull's owner set it free to lure back a calf that had escaped while being unloaded at a slaughtering plant.
The owner and animal bylaw officers quickly captured the calf, but the larger beast wandered into a fenced lot behind a strip mall and stubbornly refused to leave.
Orydzuk says five officers were at the site throughout the day to ensure the bovine didn't get out and hurt someone.
The tactical team was also called out and consulted — but all officers were on duty anyway and didn't require more pay.
Orydzuk says police left the job of rounding up the bull to the city's animal bylaw officers, provincial wildlife workers, a veterinarian and the bull's owner.
Over several hours, they came up with various plans to capture the animal. They tried to move it using snowmobiles, blasted air horns and sirens at it, threw snowballs and shot rubber bullets.
After 11 hours, they shot the bovine with a tranquilizer gun, scooped up the beast with a front-end loader and put it onto a waiting cattle trailer.
