Five adult cows set for slaughter have escaped from a small meat processing plant in Idaho over the last week, according to the Idaho State Journal.
The first breakout happened on Friday, when a cow jumped a six-foot fence on the Anderson Custom Pack slaughterhouse property. The animal wandered the town of Pocatello before it was shot by local police.
Widespread media coverage of that escape led to a second breakout on Sunday when, farmers claim, someone intentionally released more bovines. Then, four cows broke loose from the plant after ranchers claim a gate was intentionally left open. Farmers at Anderson told the Idaho State Journal they have received “hate mail” from animal rights groups since coverage of the cow escape.
As of Wednesday morning, business co-owner Jesse Anderson had shot one of the cows that went missing on Sunday, and another was recaptured. Two remain on the loose, but local authorities say there have been no cow sightings.
A media relations specialist from the Pocatello police department, who answered the phone Wednesday but did not give her name, refused to comment on the incidents.
“We did what we had to do for the safety of the public, and unfortunately it has taken a very ugly turn for our department,” she said before hanging up.
