It wasn’t a bull; it was a runaway cow that caused quite the scene in a central Florida neighborhood. On Thursday, a resourceful cowboy managed to wrangle the loose animal before anyone could get hurt.
In some dramatic aerial footage, Lewis Perry can be seen lassoing the cow at the intersection of Taylor Road and Williamson Boulevard in Port Orange. He managed to handle the situation safely, much to the relief of local residents.
The cow was first spotted darting down the road near a Publix supermarket, making quite a racket as it ran across a nearby parking lot.
Concerned residents called the police when they noticed the creature wandering through a busy area, but Perry arrived before law enforcement could take action.
He rode in on his eight-year-old horse, Tweety, telling the news station that he had probably just one shot to catch the cow—and he did, on his very first attempt.
“Typically, you only get one chance when trying to rope a loose cow,” he explained. “If you miss and reel it in, the animal can get really wild, and then it’s a chase.” In a suburban area, that can become quite dangerous.
Perry had faith in Tweety, who has been trained for cattle work. Despite the crowd and the helicopters buzzing overhead, the horse stayed calm and collected.
“Honestly, it didn’t faze him at all. I was probably more nervous than he was,” Perry noted. “He’s a really well-mannered horse, and I feel lucky to have him.”
With the assistance of local police and concerned community members, Perry was able to guide the cow into a livestock trailer and transport it safely.
No injuries were reported, and fortunately, there was no property damage either.
As of Friday, there’s been no news on who owns the cow that caused the disruption. Perry has begun a search for the owner, though it’s a tricky task since the cow has no ear tags or identifiable marks.
“It’s odd; there were absolutely no identifying marks on her,” he remarked. “We usually tag all our cows.” For now, he’s keeping the cow and is encouraging anyone who may know her owner to reach out to him.
