CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Days after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department first shared a longhorn bull was on the loose, officers confirm the 900-pound animal has been located and is no longer missing. However, CMPD Animal Care & Control later confirmed to WCNC Charlotte the bull was euthanized by a hired hunter after the bull's owner was notified and arrived at the scene.
Two citations have been issued. One involves animal restraint and the other for nuisance. An animal control officer is now investigating the status of the owner's livestock permit.
Police first reported the bull was seen Monday evening trotting along Moores Chapel Road in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control said the bull escaped when its owner was trying to move it from a pasture to an enclosed area due to severe weather moving through the area. The animal was spooked by the weather and managed to escape.
Officials said the owner of the bull was on the scene with a trailer and lasso and along with patrol officers and the ACC attempted to corral the bull. After many unsuccessful attempts to corral the bull into the trailer, CMPD gave permission for the owner to neutralize the bull if necessary. The bull then entered a heavily wooded area. CMPD SWAT was called to the scene and used a heat-seeking drone to try and locate and track the bull, but this was also unsuccessful.
At around 10:45 p.m., the scene was cleared. The owner planned to resume searching at daybreak the next day. CMPD said the last sighting of the bull was at 1 a.m. on Thursday along Nance Road.
CMPD shared the news of the bull's location in a social media post, saying the animal was found in west Charlotte sometime on Friday. The department thanked the public for help in finding the bull.
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