Chicago Ag Cows On the Run

Escaped cows from Chicago High School for the Agricultural Sciences calmly munch grass alongside 115th Street and Pulaski Road.

They didn’t kick over a lantern, but six cows did munch grass alongside 115th Street and Pulaski Road on Tuesday evening after breaking free from their corral at Chicago High School for the Agricultural Sciences.

Six full-grown cattle used as teaching aids for the science program, broke through the fence across the street from the Mt. Greenwood high school. The cows made a break for it around 8 a.m.

More than a dozen police officers from Chicago, Alsip and Merrionette Park along with principal Bill Hook spent 45 minutes wrangling the cattle and herding them back into fenced in area.

Although most of the cattle returned willingly, a 1,400-pound straggler earmarked for market in November remained outside the fence, while Hook and police tried to block the l’il doggie from entering the roadway.

After following the cow around the perimeter of the pasture, it entered through the gate back into the 12-acre corral.

“If a 1,400 pounder isn’t going to want to turn left, you’re not going to get him to turn left,” Hook told the Chicago Tribune. “In a smaller area, you can control them a bit, but in a big area you can’t...You want to give them their lead, let them go.”

Chicago Ag students return to school on Tuesday, Sept. 8.