Yes, that was a cow on the loose in Mission Hills this week

A loose calf spotted in Mission Hills this week has made its way safely back to its temporary “calf-sitter,” police say.

Capt. Ivan Washington of the Prairie Village Police Department, which also serves Mission Hills, said chasing down livestock was a first for him in his 22 years in the Johnson County suburb.

But Washington wants to remind residents that livestock are not permitted within city limits of either Mission Hills or Prairie Village — temporarily or not.

So, what happened in this case?

Officers spotted the calf while on patrol

• As officers were doing a routine patrol of the area earlier this week, Washington said, they noticed the calf sitting in a grassy area, munching on grass.
• Washington said an animal control officer was on duty at the time and helped the police officers with how to approach and handle the animal.
• “Obviously, calves are not in our normal routine of procedures, so we were kind of out of our element,” Washington said. “Luckily, we had animal control and she was able to help us.”

A Mission Hills resident was “calf-sitting”

• Washington said the calf got out while a Mission Hills resident was “calf-sitting” for a friend from out of town.
• Police officers do not know how long the calf had been loose before it was spotted.
• Washington said he does not believe the resident knew the calf was loose at the time it was out.

Livestock are not allowed in Mission Hills

• It remains unclear where exactly the calf is from, Washington said, but that it was only here temporarily while a local resident watched it.
• Although the incident ended up being “a funny thing,” Washington said, it’s a reminder that livestock are not permitted in Mission Hills or Prairie Village.
• Washington said officers did not issue a citation to the resident who was watching the calf.
• “We choose to take the education route first, with everyone we encounter,” Washington said. “People make mistakes, maybe unknowingly, but we continue to educate the public.”

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