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Littleton Bull Killed After Days On The Run

LITTLETON (CBS) -- The 1,200-pound bull who was on the loose for several days was put down on Sunday night.

Littleton Police confirmed that the bull was shot and killed near the auction site where it initially escaped from.

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Littleton bull captured (Photo Courtesy: Debra Livernois)

The bull had been on the loose since late Tuesday night. It had escaped through an open gate at the Farmer's Livestock Auction and Market Exchange auction site in Littleton while farmers tried to move it to a livestock trailer.

Officials have been searching for it ever since.

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Littleton bull put down by owner (Photo Courtesy: Debra Livernois)

Officials said the bull's owner was one to put it down on Sunday because of safety concerns.

"This decision did not come lightly," Littleton Police Chief King said. "Littleton Police and the bull's owner acted out of concern for people in the neighborhood and drivers in the area."

On Saturday, a driving nearly crashed into the bull on Great Road, according to police.

The bull was located behind a home on Ernies Drive around 5:30 p.m. Police arrived at the scene before the owner and fired two shots at the bull as it headed back to Great Road.

When the owner arrived, he fatally shot the bull, police said.

Debra Livernois was likely one of the last people who saw the bull alive. She saw it in her backyard.

"He didn't come toward me, he wasn't aggressive or anything," recalled Livernois. "I called 911. We kind of followed him around, it looked like he was going back to the auction where he had started out."

"There's a lot of kids in this area. I understand, you know, they were trying to capture him at first and I don't think they were successful in that, so I just think they really felt like they didn't have any choice."

Littleton Police had employed the Massachusetts Environmental Police and as much help as possible to search for the animal as it wandered through neighboring communities.

Over the last week, the bull was cited in Groton and Ayer.

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