Iowa Water Buffalo Captured and Headed to a New Home [VIDEO]

Stories involving injured, escaped livestock don't often have happy endings. But the story of the Iowa water buffalo does.

The escaped water buffalo had been roaming yards near Pleasant Hill for several days and had become a star on social media. KCCI reports that he even had been given a nickname. Meet Phill, the water buffalo. According to a news release, authorities located Phil at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in a sand pit near east Des Moines. Officials with the Pleasant Hill police, Polk County Conservation, Blank Park Zoo, Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Altoona Police, and the Des Moines Police came up with a plan to capture Phil using tranquilizer darts.

KCCI reports that crews coaxed Phill out of the water at around 8:30 Wednesday morning and shot him with a tranquilizer dart. Officials tracked the animal via drone and were able to use another tranquilizer dart on Phill at 10 a.m. Once immobilized, Phill was loaded into a trailer, and treated with reveal drugs, antibiotics, and vitamins. And, he was going to be headed to a new home.

KCCI confirmed that the Iowa Farm Sanctuary had taken legal ownership of the water buffalo shortly after it was captured. Once Phill is discharged, he'll go live on their farm. The founder of the sanctuary told KCCI that the animals "get to roam pastures throughout the day, go swimming in the pond...really just give them their own space." Not a bad life for an animal that was shot by police just days ago.

Axios reports that it is not known if the animal's original owner, Prem Nepal, will face any charges. Court documents show that Nepal did face similar charges in 2020 when he pleaded guilty to not having an animal on a leash in a state park and paid a $105 fine.

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