Iowa water buffalo who escaped owner moments before slaughter captured alive

Update: This story has been updated to reflect PHill's capture

A water buffalo that went rogue and became an overnight celebrity in the Des Moines metro area after it escaped its owner moments before it was destined for slaughter was caught alive Wednesday.

The water buffalo, who has been nicknamed PHill by residents, was sent to the Iowa State University Large Animal Hospital in Ames where he will be transferred to the care of the Iowa Farm Sanctuary , Shawn Camp, the sanctuary's founder, told the Des Moines Register −a part of the USA TODAY Network.

The incident began Saturday in rural Polk County, Iowa, just north of Pleasant Hill city limits, when the water buffalo jumped onto its owner just before it was about to get shot and slaughtered and made its escape.

PHill was shot and injured Saturday after it became aggressive when confronted by police, according to a Pleasant Hill Police Department Facebook post. The rescue plans to treat the water buffalo’s gunshot injury.

“We don’t have word yet on how bad the injury is,” Camp told the paper. “That will be determined when he arrives to the hospital. The gunshot wound and dehydration have been the biggest concern.”

Animal rescue taking in PHill the water buffalo, asks for companions

The Animal Rescue League of Des Moines signed over custody to the sanctuary when PHill was captured, Camp said.

“I’m honestly so thankful for the community that has shown compassion for what is essentially a cow in the middle of Iowa,” Camp said. “I think it’s remarkable. It started off with Des Moines rooting for him, then the state of Iowa and now it’s gotten even bigger. I think there’s people across the country for him. Everyone’s rooting for one cow that escaped slaughter.”

The rescue also has asked to take custody of two other water buffalos that live on the property from which PHill escaped.

What happened?

On Saturday, Pleasant Hill police were dispatched to the area where a caller said they saw a loose animal in the street. Police identified the animal as a water buffalo and began coordinating with the Animal Rescue League and Des Moines Animal Control to apprehend it.

The water buffalo had escaped its owner’s property, officials said. The owner told police that the mammal was aggressive.

When officers spotted the water buffalo, it became aggressive, and an officer shot it once with a shotgun, the news release said. The Animal Rescue League and Des Moines Animal Control did not have tranquilizers to sedate a mammal of the water buffalo’s size, officials said.

The water buffalo was tranquilized after officials found him on the east side of Des Moines and given antibiotics by veterinarians when captured.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iowa water buffalo who escaped owner moments before slaughter captured alive