On June 3, 2023, Denton residents in the quiet residential area on Malone Street were in for a wild west surprise — an escaped bull was roaming the neighborhood’s yards.
Amy Cunningham, the public information liaison for Denton police, told Local Profile that initial calls regarding a possible loose cow were received at approximately 8:49 p.m. The incident happened when the animal managed to escape from a trailer that was parked near the Taco Casa on W. University. It was presumed that the owner of the animal left it unattended while they were dining at the restaurant.
But later, just off University Drive north of the UNT campus, Cunningham explained that residents saw a bull passing through their neighborhood, leading to what would be a three-hour chase.
“This was definitely unusual,” Cunningham told Local Profile. “I don’t know when we last responded to a loose bull call, but it has not happened in the past three years at least.”
The city of Denton Animal Services and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office were contacted for additional assistance. But the bull was “quite agitated” and did not comply with attempts to get him back into the owner's cattle trailer.
From 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., police, deputies, animal services and even residents were trying to help reign in the loose animal. DCSO eventually contacted a local rancher, who was able to use a tranquilizer dart on the bull. The animal was then successfully loaded into a trailer near Panhandle Street and Malone Street.
“We appreciate the help of DCSO, Animal Services and the rancher in ensuring the bull was safely returned to his owners after a three-hour ordeal,” Cunningham said.
Fox4 was able to get a video of the animal running through the residential area before capture.