That’s no bull — a loose cow brought traffic to a standstill in a central Florida suburb Thursday, prompting a quick-thinking cowboy to saddle up and rope the animal before anyone was hurt.
Dramatic aerial footage from NBC affiliate WESH-TV shows the moment Lewis Perry lassoed the wandering bovine near the intersection of Taylor Road and Williamson Boulevard in Port Orange, ending the roadside spectacle without injury.
The cow was first spotted running down the middle of the road near the Publix supermarket on Taylor Road, snarling traffic as it darted through nearby parking lots.
Residents called police as the animal roamed the busy corridor, but Perry headed down to the scene before authorities could secure it.
The cowboy loaded up his 8-year-old horse, Tweety, and headed to the location. He told WESH-TV he likely had just one shot — and he nailed it on the first try.
“If you go to rope a cow that is loose like that, you generally only get one try at it,” he told the NBC affiliate.
“If you rope it and miss, then she or he will bolt, and you have to race and chase them down. In suburbs like that, it can get really dangerous.”
Perry credited Tweety, a roping horse trained for cattle work. Despite crowds of onlookers and a news helicopter overhead, the horse remained calm and focused.
“It didn’t bother him at all. It bothered me more than him, probably,” Perry told WESH-TV. “He’s just a well-mannered horse that does a very good job for me. I’m very, very lucky to own him.”
With help from local police and nearby residents, Perry guided the animal into a livestock trailer without incident.
No injuries were reported and no property was damaged.
After securing the cow, Perry began searching for its owner — a task complicated by the absence of ear tags, brands or other identification markings.
“That one had no markings at all, which is weird,” Perry said. “We use ear tags on all of our cattle.”
For now, Perry is keeping the cow and urging the owner to contact him at kimsrodeo2@aol.com.