From CBS Boston:

Last Saturday, one of Wendy Bordeleau’s two cows got loose from her 30-acre farm.

Surprisingly, this problem isn't as common as it used to be, even in Pelham, New Hampshire.  Even so, it was a cow.  The report doesn't state whether it was a nice cow or a cow with a prior criminal history.  Just a cow.  Perhaps the cow took the New Hampshire state motto seriously.

About a dozen people were trying to coral 800-pound Houdini across busy Mammoth Road when police showed up with their tasers.

“They said ‘We’re going to tase her, we’re going to taser it,’ and the group was pleading with them. Everyone was kinda yelling, ‘Please don’t taser the cow, it’s only going to make it worse,” she told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.

The cow said nothing, infuriating police, who then "zapped" Houdini four times. 

 
Mugshot: Houdini the cow. 

The tazing had no apparent affect on Houdini, likely because she* was covered in a thick, protective hide, because he was a cow.  Still, local police are bracing for a federal lawsuit for excessive force, fearing claims that the cow will require therapy.  Cow therapy is very expensive.

Sgt. Mike Pickles told WBZ he made the right decision.

“It blew through a wooden fence right next to me. That was the time a decision was made. I have to do something to try and control this animal,” he said.

“As a matter of public safety, that is a better option than just allowing things to happen and people get hurt.”

According to sources close to Pickles, known to Pelham's cow community as Sgt. Mike, he couldn't have lived with himself had the cow hurt a child.  Preparing for the worst, calls were made to assemble the Pelham Police SWAT team, but delays in arrival caused by a plague of student loan nonpayments prevented timely deployment.

The cow made it home safely and, at last check, was eating grass.

Fortunately, no child was harmed.  Unfortunately, local residents were constrained to have pizza for dinner rather than steak.  Houdini was satisfied with grass, which was duly noted in the police use of force report.

By all accounts, Wendy Bordeleau was not pleased with the police zapping Houdini and has unfollowed Sgt. Pickles on twitter.  "If it happens again, I'm blocking him," she said.

H/T Doug "Keyboard Cowboy" Cornelius "If the cow won't obey, then it must pay.  Oh yes, it must pay."

* I'm informed by Turk, whose knowledge of bovines far exceeds mine, that gender neutrality is inappropriate in cow posts. My error has been duly corrected.