Need Advice about Absentee Cattle Owner

[Poppy81]

My disabled neighbor has leased his place to a man over 100 miles away. The absentee cattleman has about 80 cows on 150 acres and they have grazed it almost to bare dirt. The cows are calving now and are in bad shape. They are hungry and pushing on my fences trying to eat. I don't think the cattle owner has had any hay fed and while all us neighbors are working hard to keep our fences intact, there is a long stretch of fence along the farm to market highway that is in really bad shape. A young heifer got out yesterday and I put her back in twice (once after I got a call after 9PM) so that no one would hit her on the highway. She was put back in once by another neighbor. The land owner says he has nothing to do with the cattle and has us try and contact the cattleman who refuses our calls. I'm concerned that someone will turn this guy in to the SPCA or someone and we'll have another scandal on our hands. Any suggestions?

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You don't have many options unless you want to feed them yourself, which I sure wouldn't do.
I would call the SPCA. They are a good organization - not like PITA.

[Kingfisher]

Give em both a written bid for the fence . Give the cowboy a cost for feeding his cows on a timely basis. Make em pay up front......

[TxBrangus]

If the cattle are in bad shape your sheriffs department would want to hear about it, they have got to the point were they will seize animals not being properly taken care of. Also they could have a serious conversation with the landowner about the potential liability he's assuming by the cattle being at the roadways.

[mjnetex]

Yes, call the sheriff's office RIGHT NOW.

[Amo]

Absoulty, law enforcement is way better than any animal shelter/rights group. One phone call from them might make a huge difference on whats going on. Plus if needed they can handle the sucation properly without much noise in the press.