Cows Killed By Deputies In Dixboro Area Thursday.

By Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

As reported in Purple Walrus Press Thursday evening, January 4, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department sent out an alert to the community that a cow was on the loose near the intersection of Dixboro and Plymouth Roads in Superior Township Thursday afternoon. In fact, the Sheriff's Department has stated that at 11:20 am two cows escaped through a broken trailer door near the intersection of Dixboro and Plymouth Roads while the owner of the steer was taking the animals to be butchered in Milan. According to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department, the owner felt she had no way to safely retrieve the the two steer. According to the Sheriff's Dept, all involved agreed that because of the size and aggressiveness of the steer, their proximity to neighborhoods and the fact that the cows were on their way to being butchered in Milan, the animals should be "dispatched at the scene and later transported by the owners.

Deputies and local residents searched for and located the animals.Shortly, both animals were located and dispatched due to their size and aggressiveness, according to the Sheriff's Department.

According to the Washtenaw Coiunty Sheriff's Department, once the animals were located the owner resumed possession and decisions regarding how and when to dispose of the steer were solely up to her.

The following is the statement from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department that was posted on their facebook page.

Washtenaw Sheriff SHERIFF'S OFFICE STATEMENT ON RECENT INCIDENT INVOLVING TWO STEER IN ANN ARBOR TOWNSHIP. 

On Thursday, January 4th at 11:20 AM Washtenaw Metro Dispatch received a call of two cows running loose near the intersection of Plymouth Rd. and Dixboro in Ann Arbor Township. 

Deputies arrived on scene and met with the owner of the animals. The owner clarified that these animals were large steer and as she was transporting them to Milan to be butchered her trailor door was broken and the steer got loose. The owner also advised that she had no way to corral the animals. Subsequently, all parties involved agreed that due to their size, aggressiveness, proximity to residential neighborhoods, and that they were previously set to be butchered the animals would need to be dispatched on scene and transported by the owners afterwards. 

Deputies, along with the owner and several local citizens worked together to locate the animals. The first animal was located a short time later and a Sheriff’s Office Supervisor was able to dispatch the steer. The second steer however, was more difficult to locate and required the use of the Michigan State Police helicopter. Again, due to the size, aggressiveness, and proximity to residential neighborhoods the decision was made to utilize the neccessarey resources in order to locate and dispatch of the animal. 

The Sheriff’s Office role was to ensure public safety by assisting the owner in locating and dispatching of her animals in a timely and safe manner. Once both animals were located the owner resumed possession and the decisions of how and when to dispose of the animals are sole hers.