The other day, two young heifer calves were stolen from a dairy in Tulare County. The thieves drove them to Kings County, where they apparently discovered to their chagrin that the animals were branded.
That would make selling them difficult. If they tried to sell the calves at a livestock auction, the state brand inspectors would want to see proof of ownership. Cops on the case think the thieves figured they were toast. So, they simply tossed the animals out of their car in downtown Hanford, in front of the flour mill at Sixth and Green streets, and drove away. A car came by and struck and killed one of the calves. The other one wandered a mile away, ending up in a man’s front yard.
There was weariness in Greg Lawley’s voice as he told the story. “They have no regard for animals,” said Lawley, chief of the Bureau of Livestock Identification at the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
“Makes you sick,” Lawley said of cattle rustling redux.