HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Crews rescued a cow that was stuck in a septic tank in Putnam County last week, authorities said.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said it received a call Thursday from the West Putnam Volunteer Fire Department about a cow trapped in an abandoned septic tank in Hawthorne.
When an agriculture deputy with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office arrived, he found the cow in the abandoned septic tank, along with a calf standing nearby. It was estimated the cow had been in the dry tank for several days.
The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service Animal Technical Rescue Team and an agricultural deputy with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office responded to help remove the cow from the tank. Putnam County Animal Control and the West Putnam Volunteer Fire Department also assisted.
After she was removed, the cow, which appeared unharmed, was able to rejoin her calf, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said.
"We are grateful for the partnerships we have with surrounding agencies and organizations," a post on the Putnam County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page reads, in part. "The experience these groups have helped us safely remove an animal from a dangerous and life-threatening situation."