Rawhide and seek: rash of cattle breakouts keep police busy across US

Two escapes in West Virginia and one in California force emergency services to think on the hoof

Three US cities have been tackling the same bovine problem this week, when separate groups of cattle broke free of their respective chains - a slaughterhouse, a cattle-hauling truck, and a farm with a broken fence - and caused a commotion on roads, railways and a recreation area.

The escapes were inconspicuous at first. On Monday, three loose cattle roamed the streets of Bluefield, West Virginia, after escaping through a broken fence. Trains had to be stopped as authorities tried to coax the animals off the tracks.