PHill, the water buffalo has just had the worst week of his life. And possibly, the best week.
On Saturday, Aug. 24, PHill’s owner, Prem Nepal of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, was getting ready to shoot and slaughter him. But, to Nepal’s surprise, PHill knocked him over and escaped. Being a water buffalo, PHill, as he is known locally, is a big guy. His kind are the largest of the Bovini family and can weigh up to 2,600 pounds. So, you can imagine what an impressive sight it was to see PHill leap over the tall chain link fence and make his escape.
You would think any animal PHill’s size would have a tough time hiding from humans. But for five days, PHill remained at large, occasionally spotted happily wallowing in mud holes and, in one incident, caught comically gawking into a neighbor’s wide-angle doorbell camera, making PHill’s nose look really big. And each time, he vanished before he could be captured.
This was not the first time animals had escaped from Mr. Nepal. Authorities were called on at least three occasions when six goats and “rogue” cows escaped Nepal’s fences. Police once shot and killed one of the cows. Nepal was fined for not having the animal on a leash and later for failing to dispose of the carcass.
When Pleasant Hill police finally did catch up to PHill, they claimed he acted “aggressive.” So, they shot him. With a shotgun. Water buffalos are known throughout Asia as hard-working gentle giants, used for plowing rice fields or transporting heavy items. They are such mild creatures that the job of working with them is often assigned to children. How did PHill react to being shot by police? He ignored them.
PHill had quickly become a Des Moines-area celebrity. Shawn Camp, founder of the “vegan, nonprofit” Iowa Farm Sanctuary in Oxford observed, “The local community absolutely rallied for PHill and didn’t rest until he was given a fair chance at safety and freedom.” He added, “The outpouring of love for PHill, a farmed animal…is so incredibly heartwarming.” The company Raygun had started selling a “Free PHill” t-shirt, depicting a water buffalo jumping over a fence with the caption “The great water buffalo escape. Pleasant Hill, IA 2024.” Later, police subdued PHill with two tranquilizer darts and got him into a trailer.
In a fairytale ending, PHill has been saved from slaughter and was taken to the Large Animal Hospital in Ames for state- of-the-art treatment of his injuries. Prem Nepal surrendered his ownership of PHill to the Farm Sanctuary where the sociable buffalo will now have many fellow rescued animals to play with. Mr. Camp promises that, after PHill’s recovery is complete, vis- itors are invited to meet PHill at the Oxford facility where he is expected to live out his days in comfort and happiness.