A Johnson County Sheriff’s Office deputy cut his vacation short when his special skills were needed to help a distressed cow that escaped a trailer.
While he was on his way home from a vacation with his wife, Brett Davis got stuck in traffic. He noticed a distressed cow was causing the backup, so he and his wife offered assistance. The cow had busted out of a trailer on Highway 252. Because the animal was angry, agitated and injured, nobody could get close to it.
As a part of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Horse Patrol, Davis knew that the cow was a definite traffic hazard and danger. He and his horse Rowdy guided the cow to a neighboring farm with an enclosed fence.
Although the horse patrol unit has been around since the 1980’s, most residents are not aware that it exists, Davis said. This is because the unit is usually out of the public’s eye assisting with search and rescues, animal problems such as the one Davis encounter on Tuesday and public relations events.
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Five deputies serve on the horse patrol who are on call for assistance. The unit is a secondary specialty along with being a road officer, Davis said. Each deputy owns and trains their own horse. Usually, the deputies get together at least twice a month to train, such as desensitizing horses to certain aspects, like loud sounds, so they won’t be spooked.
They are also trained to crowd control and shoot firearms off of the horses. The horse patrol, Davis said, can be used in many ways.
“It’s pretty amazing, some of the things we can do when it comes to the search and rescue,” Davis said.
Having the horses available for long searches becomes an advantage for officers. Horses can withstand long rides and rough terrain and won’t tire out as easily as canines or officers on foot might, Davis said. When searching for a missing person, there may be a lot of ground to cover, he said, which may deplete an officer’s energy fast. It also gives them a higher vantage point to search for hidden subjects.
“If you’re looking for somebody, especially a child, its huge anytime you can locate a child safely,” Davis said. “… It’s very satisfying when you can use your training and that specialty can come through to help assist.”
