A loose Longhorn caused chaos on the train tracks in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday morning, leading to delays for commuters and a wild chase for police.
According to reports, the bull managed to escape from a nearby slaughterhouse before making its way to the busy New Jersey Transit train tracks near Newark-Penn Station. The incident caused delays of up to 45 minutes for travelers heading into New York City.
Videos and photos began to circulate on social media, showing the bull running up and down the tracks, seemingly unfazed by the hectic scene around him. As a result, NJ Transit alerted commuters to the situation, jokingly referring to it as “police activity” in a tweet.
Authorities sprang into action, with officers from the Newark Police Emergency Services Unit and the Port Authority Police Department working together to contain the animal. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries during the incident.
The bull was eventually captured and taken to the Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue in Wantage, where he was given the name “Ricardo” by the sanctuary’s founder Mike Stura. Stura recounted receiving numerous calls and messages about the loose bull’s escapade, and he quickly drove the animal to a nearby veterinarian to receive necessary tests and treatments.
The sanctuary, which is home to over 450 animals, is the same location where another bull named Barney was taken after escaping a Long Island farm in July 2021. Barney evaded capture for over two months before being brought to Skylands, where he now lives out his days.
A loose bull in New Jersey’s largest city that found its way onto train tracks and snarled rail traffic has been captured. The ruddy brown bull with long, dark-tipped horns stood on the tracks at Newark Penn Station, prompting a police response. https://t.co/aK2GdP12un pic.twitter.com/qurZMREmto
— San Mateo Daily Journal (@smdailyjournal) December 16, 2023
Stura believes that Ricardo must have escaped from a nearby slaughterhouse and stated that the bull will be isolated from other animals until further tests confirm he is healthy.
Meanwhile, commuters were finally able to resume their travels after nearly an hour of delays caused by the runaway bull.
