A black Angus bull and a cow remained loose near Route 3A on Monday, the fifth day since they escaped their enclosure on Thursday, Nov. 5. The pair belongs to a Main Street family that keeps cattle for breeding and beef. Police have urged people who see the animals to report their location rather than approach them.
Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavares, who began his career as the town's assistant animal control officer, told Yahoo News that the animals' size and unpredictable behavior have made them unusually difficult to corral. He said there had been dozens of sightings, though the cattle had not traveled far from home.
Yahoo News also reported that officers briefly cornered the cattle between their cruisers and a guardrail over the weekend. When one officer tried to grab an animal, it nudged him off and jumped the guardrail; the pair then fled. Tavares said the cattle can clear obstacles he had not expected them to jump.
Why Chasing Them Only Makes It Worse
Tavares told Yahoo News the cattle become stressed when separated from their herd, and that pursuit can heighten that stress. “They become highly stressed and aggressive, and chasing them just makes it worse,” he said. He said capture attempts need to be slow and methodical to reduce risks to the animals and people.
In the latest account, the bull and cow were back together in a wooded area away from the road, a development Tavares described as a relief. The plan was to give them space and try to bait them back to the Main Street property rather than force a confrontation.
Drivers Warned Along a 45 MPH Stretch
Tavares told Yahoo News that a vehicle striking one of the cattle was his main concern. Their black coats can make them difficult to see after dark, and the speed limit on Main Street is 45 miles per hour. MassLive reported repeated sightings along Route 3A between the Marshfield Fair and St. Christine's Church.
Police had first flagged the escape in an alert issued the day the cattle got loose near Ferry Street and Main Street, according to that MassLive report. There's also been some confusion about the cattle's status: MassLive said police initially announced Nov. 6 that one cow had been recovered before amending the update to say both animals were still at large, while UPI reported around the same time that one of the cows had in fact been captured while the other remained on the run. The discrepancy between those accounts hasn't been resolved.
A veterinarian remains on call to tranquilize the cattle if necessary, though the stated plan is to give them space and try to lure them back to their property. NBC Boston reported that police asked anyone who spots the animals not to approach and to call Marshfield police at 781-834-6655.
What Crash Data Can—and Can't—Show
The verified information does not establish whether Massachusetts public records identify crashes involving cattle or other livestock. At the federal level, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes that fatal-crash data do not identify the type of animal involved, so those figures cannot establish cattle-specific collision risk: IIHS.
A Town Divided Between Worry and Amusement
The incident has also prompted jokes around town. Yahoo News reported that residents made AI-generated images of the cattle at the local skate park, aboard the harbormaster's boat and on a milk carton, and floated a fundraiser to help pay for their freedom after they are caught. Tavares joked that the animals were living their best lives.
Police have said they will continue trying to bring the bull and cow in safely. For now, that means a measured approach while the animals remain loose near a busy road.
