Sumter deputies round up Rowdy the calm, friendly bull from neighbor's yard

A 911 call led Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies to a close encounter with a four-legged fugitive on Thursday, July 18.

The deputies of Sumter County Sheriff’s Office patrol more than 600 square miles and serve the residents of Sumter in a wide variety of ways. On Thursday morning at 10:41, deputies received one of the more unusual calls from dispatch: “The caller states that a bull is in their front yard.”

A homeowner near U.S. 15 North discovered a bull in their front yard.

The call was unusual enough to cause the responding deputy to ask dispatch to repeat the call. Upon hearing the call again, it was clear that the animal was not a bull-dog, but a full-grown bull.

Forest, farmland and pasture surround the neighborhood, and a bull broke out in search of greener pastures.

Deputies arrived and learned the bull had wandered into another yard. When deputies approached, the bull was not aggressive, and except for his horns, the bull was unarmed.

One of the responders began to call the bull and was pleasantly surprised when it followed his voice. Continuing to keep a safe distance from the bull, deputies returned to their patrol vehicles, with the bull slowly following.

The bull stopped near the passenger window of a patrol car, and a deputy introduced himself and told it that it had to go home. The bull was so calm the deputy stepped out of the car and gently patted it on its head. The bull liked this and leaned toward the deputy. Not sure of its motives, the deputy quickly moved to the other side of the car.

With coaxing and calling, the bull followed one responder slowly down the road while other deputies followed it.

After the livestock procession traveled several hundred yards, the primary deputy returned, having found the bull's owner. Soon, the bull followed his owner home and back inside the pasture.

The bull’s owner said his name was Rowdy, and since it was very young they had cared for it. This explained the lack of aggression it showed.

After the owner expressed gratitude for the help of the sheriff’s office, the owner said, “He is almost like a pet — almost. We are careful; after all, he is still a bull.”