This story is no bull.
A water buffalo escaped from a 91原创 farm and went on a field trip Friday morning.
The ungulate checked out a neighbouring field, before roaming the parking lots of a nearby church, and the 91原创 Christian elementary, middle and high schools.
The escapade was 鈥榗haperoned鈥� by the animal鈥檚 owner, Brad Bennik, who was able to laugh about the unauthorized adventure, calling himself, 鈥楤uffalo Brad.鈥�
The action began just after 9 a.m. when the water buffalo decided it was not going to join the other 35 animals in the herd, and instead left through the front gate.
鈥淗e鈥檚 only been here a couple of months,鈥� Bennik said, explaining the water buffalo was recently purchased from Vancouver Island.
鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 accustomed to being in the yard. (I guess) he wanted to see his surroundings.鈥�
91原创 Christian Elementary School principal Susan Dick said they noticed the bull on their property around 10 a.m.
鈥淚t went to the swings, and the very edge of our property,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚t made its way off our property and started charging west down 48 Avenue and ended up on our middle/high school property.鈥�
LAPS (91原创 Animal Protection Society) was called to corral the animal and return it to its farm. They responded right away, Dick explained.
鈥淭hey were ultimately successful in getting it back,鈥� Dick said.
LAPS animal control officer Chloe Buskell used her vehicle to help assist the owner in getting the bull home, noted LAPS executive director Jayne Nelson.
鈥淪he blocked driveways to stop the bull from deviating from its path home,鈥� Nelson said.
Altogether, the adventure lasted about two and a half hours.
As the bull wandered around school property, the elementary campus was put on hold and secure, meaning the students were kept in their classrooms. Parents of pre-schoolers had to wait until all was clear, before picking up their children.
鈥淚t was huge, absolutely huge,鈥� Dick said, estimating that the animal weighed 2,000 pounds. 鈥淭he farmer came across (to the school) to apologize. He said it was gentle but definitely agitated.鈥�
The students watched the action from the safety of their classrooms.
鈥淭hey were definitely excited and had to be reminded that this is a very big animal,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚t was a bull but I never called it a bull, I just called it a water buffalo. 鈥淲e told the students that the animal was agitated and yelling at it or banging on the windows was not going to help.鈥�
Luckily, none of the students or the staff were injured and the water buffalo was secured.
鈥淔or the kids it鈥檚 just one of those stories they can recount to their grandchildren,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚 know I鈥檓 going to remember it.鈥�
鈥� with files from Gary Ahuja
