A Cow Escaped an Auction and Stopped Traffic on a Florida Highway

A cow escaped from a Florida livestock auction and brought traffic to a stop on U.S. 92. Video showed the loose animal approaching pickup trucks while people tried to move it away from the roadway. It was eventually returned safely to the auction.

The escape put drivers and people attempting to contain the animal in the same space. Getting it out of traffic became the immediate task, with callers alerting the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The auction escape reached a highway

NewsRadio WIOD reported that the cow had escaped from Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction. Callers placed it on westbound U.S. 92 near Fish Hatchery Road, with at least one reporting that someone was chasing the animal as it ran in the roadway.

The footage showed vehicles stopping as several people attempted to move the cow away from traffic. Instead of a brief glimpse of livestock beside a road, the video captured a disruption drivers had to wait out.

Pickup trucks became part of the encounter

WIOD described a man climbing into a pickup bed as the cow approached. The animal made contact with the truck while the man used a long object to direct it away. Another person moved out of its path near a second pickup.

An Oct. 2 report from WUUQ, linking to UPI’s coverage, also described the truck encounter and said the cow was safely returned to Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction.

The cow was returned safely

WIOD reported no injuries. The animal’s return ended the highway disruption, but the outlet said officials had not immediately explained how it escaped or how long it remained loose. The outcome is known; the opening that let the cow reach traffic is not.

References: Runaway Cow Escapes Polk County Auction, Stops Traffic | Cow Stops Traffic In Florida After Escaping Livestock Auction