Cow dragged behind vehicle for almost 900 feet
Auburn, WA (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Jul 5, 2009
County: King
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Jonas Arnbrister
» Terrance Neff
Two men accused of using a rope and a Buick to drag a bull along a King County road have now been charged with second degree animal cruelty.
The driver, 75-year-old Jonas Arnbrister, and 57-year-old passenger Terrance Neff face up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.
Several 911 calls came flooding in on the evening of July 5 from witnesses reporting a 1989 Buick Century was "dragging a cow with a rope" at about 5 mph in the 4200 block of S. Star Lake Road near Auburn, said Sgt. John Urquhart with the King County Sheriff's Department.
When deputies arrived, they found the car with a rope around the bull's neck and tied around the car's window frame. The bull was lying flat on its stomach, with all four legs bloodied and spread outward.
Witnesses reported the bull was obviously in distress, strongly resisting as it was pulled down the street causing hoof and leg injuries, until it collapsed where deputies found it, Urquhart said.
Court documents say Arnbrister and Neff told deputies they were moving the bull to another pasture and they always used the car-dragging method because "he is stubborn."
The passenger said the bull wasn't hurt and told the deputy, "You have to be like that with cows."
Documents say when the deputy pointed out the injuries to the bull, Arnbrister said, "oh, that is nothing." And asked if he cared that the bull was injured, Arbrister shook his head and said, "He is just a stubborn bull. I did not do anything wrong."
Urquhart says the bull finally stood up, obviously in pain, and was moved to a grassy shoulder.
Investigators determined based on the drag marks, the bull was dragged for 894 feet. They found one streak of blood stretched nearly 20 feet.
The bull was given pain medication and turned over to the Washington State Animal Response Team for safekeeping. A veterinary examination revealed the bull had several abrasions and burns to all four limbs and its stomach, but was expected to survive.
Both men were booked into the King County Jail for investigation of first-degree animal cruelty. Neff is being held on $15,000 bail while Arnbrister is being held on $10,000. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 21. References |
