WHARTON COUNTY, Texas — Reports of lost-and-found pets seem to pile up by the hundreds in cities and communities, but it's not every day a 2,000-pound bull ends up on the list.
A large bull roaming the countryside of Wharton County prompted the sheriff's office there to put out a call for its owner on Tuesday.
The animal has no brand, tags, or other markings and is believed to have been roaming the area of County Road 216 for over a month, according to the Wharton County Sheriff's Office.
While the sheriff's office later sent an update that no further assistance was needed in locating his owner, residents were quick to share their encounters after the initial callout.
"The bull has been leaving his droppings in several of our yards during his nightly escapades...hopefully he won't get stuck in our pond he has muddied up...been nothing but a nuisance," one resident posted.
Another resident said they've also seen evidence of the wayward animal.
"He has our place tracked up as well. We have a rancher friend that is ready for him," they said. "If we don't do anything quickly someone is going to get hurt."
The sheriff's office APB even prompted offers to catch the bull and keep him, but according to the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, that would be against the law.
"There is no such thing as finders keepers regarding estray livestock in Texas or Oklahoma," association representatives wrote on their website. "The finder of an estray may be charged with 'Theft of Livestock' if he or she disposed of the estray outside of the estray procedure."
According to Texas agriculture laws, if the bull is captured, it will likely be sold at auction if the owner isn't located.
