The owner of an escaped water buffalo in Pleasant Hill had a similar incident in 2020

A water buffalo that has been loose in Polk County is owned by a Des Moines resident who previously pleaded guilty to charges in a similar livestock incident, court records show.

Why it matters: The animal, which escaped on Saturday, is aggressive and has already been injured from at least one shotgun round by responding officers, Pleasant Hill Police said.

• Officials warn the public not to approach the animal while some advocates simultaneously work to save it .

State of play: The buffalo was on a farm just north of Pleasant Hill in the 2000 block of Northeast 56th Street when it escaped, police spokesperson Candace Bell tells Axios

• Local emergency departments do not have tranquilizers or equipment to handle the situation, which resulted in the attempt to shoot the animal.
• It was last seen Saturday in Little Fourmile Creek, southbound toward Scott Avenue and Oakwood Drive.

Zoom in: The animal's owner, Prem Nepal, rents the land where the buffalo was kept, Bell said. It's still undetermined whether he will face charges.

• Axios' efforts to reach Nepal were unsuccessful Tuesday.

The intrigue: Court documents show that Nepal pleaded guilty in 2020 to not having an animal on a leash in a state park and paid a $105 fine.

• The incident involved what Polk County Sheriff officials described in charging documents as " a rogue cow " kept in the same area as the water buffalo.
• The cow was shot with four slugs and killed by law enforcement as a danger to public safety, court documents show.

What's next: The search for the buffalo continues.

• The cost to the county has not yet been calculated, Bell said.