Waldo. William. Ferdinand. The “bull” that’s been on the lam(b?) in Milford since early summer has finally been captured, and as it turns out, that’s no bull . . . literally. According to attending veterinarian Kim McClure Brinton of Country Companions in Bethany, this cow’s a heifer.
“He’s a she!” McClure Brinton proclaimed once she’d climbed into the pen to examine the sedated cow and learned that it did not need to be castrated after all.
The heifer was spared having field surgery, and everything progressed smoothly from there.
“I think it was a great team effort,” McClure Brinton said. “We had a great team and everything went safely with help from the animal control officers to the owners of the home where she was captured.”
The last attempt to catch the roaming cow was several months ago, but when the heifer entered the pen that had been built to contain her, the door didn’t close securely and she was able to barge her way right back out. This time, the latch engaged and East Haven ACO Owen Little shot her with a tranquilizing dart.
“The dart bounced out,” McClure Brinton said, “so we gave her a second dose and she was on the ground in 10 minutes.”
Woodbridge ACO Karen Lombardi was also on site. “Kim did a superb job with that cow tonight,” Lombardi said. “She is completely fearless and totally dedicated.”
Lombardi said once the cow was down and McClure Brinton had examined her, she was moved onto a Teflon sled and at least eight men lifted her onto a cart that was pulled out to the road by a tractor. She was then loaded into a trailer and taken to a farm in Oxford.
The heifer was captured before 5 p.m. this evening, and by 8 p.m. she had been delivered and was out from under anesthesia with no complications.
“But she was mad as hell!” McClure Brinton said.
The fencing at her new home, McClure Brinton added, is very secure and “Wilhelmina” is expected to remain contained in the future.
