The cows could become a safety hazard, but only the police — not animal control — is authorized to shoot the cows, and without a method to physically capture them, animal control’s “hands are tied,” Buckland Animal Control Officer Jill Lively said. STOCK PHOTO

BUCKLAND — There’s some cow madness spreading in Buckland and Charlemont, where cattle have been roaming the woods, yards and fields for a month.

It all started on May 26, when six heifers — female cattle that have never given birth — escaped from farmer and Berkshire East owner Roy Schaefer in Charlemont, according to Buckland Animal Control Officer Jill Lively.

Four of the cattle have been returned to Schaefer, but two are still on the loose, having swam across the Deerfield River into Buckland, creating discord among town officials regarding what should be done.

“They’re not humanized cows. These cows will run if you get within 20 feet of them,” said Lively, who is frustrated that the owner has not done more to try and capture the remaining cattle.

Lively said she has been “inundated” with phone calls about the cows for the last month, even getting calls at 4 a.m. The cows have also been spotted on the fields of Mohawk Trail High School, where they showed up during this year’s Senior Awards Ceremony, and another time they ripped up the grass at the school.

The problem, Lively said, is that the cows are essentially feral and won’t respond to grain or “any of the old tricks.”

The cows could become a safety hazard, but only the police — not animal control — is authorized to shoot the cows, and without a method to physically capture them, animal control’s “hands are tied,” Lively said.

“Someone could hit them with their car and get seriously injured. They could trample your kids,” said Assistant Animal Control Officer Ed Grinnell.

Lively and Grinnell have implored the police to shoot the cows before someone gets hurt, and said Schaefer has given permission for the cows to be shot. However, Buckland Police Chief James Hicks is saying, “no way.”

“I’m not shooting any cows, and neither is anyone in my department shooting any cows,” Hicks said. “We have lots of cows in Buckland. What if someone else’s cows get loose and we have to shoot one? I don’t want any part of it.”

Hicks said he and his officers have “done our part” and that police have been stationed periodically at the school to keep an eye out for the cows in case they go into the road. Hicks also said two of the original six cows made it back to Schaefer on their own, adding that Schaefer should hire someone to “put them down” if he wants the cows shot.

Schaefer was unreachable Friday to talk about the situation.

But Grinnell is getting frustrated with what he sees as the police’s inaction.

“The cows are just over there. Living up in the woods,” Grinnell said. “We legally could shoot them, but the problem is they’re not getting away from houses and roads. There’s laws about that.”

Grinnell added that he doesn’t like the idea of the cows being shot, but that the police need to before someone gets hurt. “The state police aren’t doing anything either, he said, I’ve called them both (Hicks and state police) and they just won’t do anything.”

State police at the barracks in Shelburne on Friday afternoon said they hadn’t heard anything about the incident.

“I’ve told (the police), ‘If anybody gets hurt or killed, it’s on you,’” Grinnell said.

“The owner should be doing more, but they aren’t,” Lively said. “This is the fourth week.”

Lively added that she’s considered calling an animal rescue company to come and try and find and capture the cows, but as a “good citizen,” not in her capacity as animal control officer.

Grinnell agreed that the owner is at fault for the incident.

“This all started with a very negligent farmer, who had six heifers that lived in a field with no attention,” Grinnell said.

Grinnell said he’s willing to help if the cows are shot, and can arrange for a trailer to come haul away the bodies. He just can’t shoot them because of their proximity to the school.

“We’ve been out there (trying to catch them) a dozen times,” Grinnell said. “They’re just roaming. These cows have grown up feral. They’ve grown up in the pasture and just fend for themselves.”

If the cows are spotted, people should call the state or local police, Lively said.

Reach David McLellan at 413-772-0261, ext. 268.