Police capture 'aggressive' water buffalo that had been on the loose for days in Iowa

Police in Iowa said they have captured a "dangerous," injured water buffalo that had been on the loose since Saturday.

The Pleasant Hill Police Department said the animal was transported Wednesday morning to the Iowa State University Veterinary Hospital after being located in Des Moines the previous evening.

The capture followed a dayslong search that at one point saw an officer shoot the animal, nicknamed "Phill" by some in the community, and sightings of the water buffalo in yards and on a home Ring camera.

Officers said they initially responded to a call Saturday morning about an "animal in the road" in Pleasant Hill, located about six miles east of Des Moines.

The owner "shared that it was an aggressive animal they were preparing to butcher for its meat and asked the Pleasant Hill Police Department to 'put it down,'" the Pleasant Hill Police Department said in a statement Wednesday.

The responding officer said the department does not "put animals down" unless they pose a threat to the public, according to the police department.

An officer did shoot the animal, injuring it, later Saturday morning after the water buffalo showed "aggressiveness" toward responding officers, the police department said. The water buffalo was near a busy intersection "creating a dangerous situation," police said.

The injured animal was then able to escape.

Pleasant Hill police said they employed ATVs to search bicycle trails and a creek for the loose animal. They said they also partnered with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to use their drone technology and with "local individuals who have expertise in containing this type of animal," they said.

Amid the search, the water buffalo was seen on Ring footage on Monday near the front door of a home in Pleasant Hill. A Pleasant Hill resident also filmed the animal in his backyard on Monday.

The water buffalo was located around 7:30 p.m. CT Tuesday in water in a sand pit in Des Moines, though first responders decided to wait to corral the animal until daylight, police said.

The animal was coaxed out of the water and a tranquilizer dart was administered around 9:30 a.m. CT on Wednesday, police said. A second tranquilizer dart was administered about 30 minutes later, police said.

The immobilized water buffalo was then loaded into a trailer and treated with reversal drugs, antibiotics and vitamins, police said.

"The water buffalo was awake and prognosis is guarded," police said.

The animal was transported to the veterinary hospital to be monitored and receive any necessary medical care, police said.

The Polk County Conservation, Blank Park Zoo, Animal Rescue League of Iowa and other law enforcement agencies were involved in the capture, police said.

"An investigation into the escape of the animal is being conducted," the Pleasant Hill Police Department said. "Based on the results of the investigation charges may be filed."

The owner has since surrendered the animal to the Des Moines Police Department, police said. The animal is now a resident of the Iowa Farm Sanctuary and won't be sent to slaughter, the organization said while commending the humane capture of "Phill."

"The local community absolutely rallied for Phill and didn’t rest until he was given a fair chance at safety and freedom," the Iowa Farm Sanctuary said in a statement on Facebook. "The outpouring of love for Phill, a farmed animal, in the epicenter of animal agriculture, is so incredibly heartwarming."