Yesterday afternoon the Stearns County Sheriff's Office posted about some loose cattle. The heifers were moved off the road, for the animal's safety, and for the safety of anyone out driving in the area. But the question still seems to remain, who's cattle are they?

19 Holstein Heifers and 1 Jersey Heifer were found wandering up the driveway of a farm site near Highway 4 and County Road 32 yesterday. If these are your cattle or you know who they may belong to, please call our office.

There is a Minnesota statute that makes letting herd animals, like cows, sheep, and goats, roam freely illegal. The statute as read online says:

346.16 RUNNING AT LARGE; DEFINED; PROHIBITED; TREBLE DAMAGES.

The herding of any animal of the species of cattle, horse, ass, mule, sheep, swine, or goat upon any land over the protest and against the will of the owner shall be deemed a running at large.

It shall be unlawful for any owner or any person having the control of any such animal to permit the same to run at large in the state.

Any person who shall knowingly permit the running at large of any such domestic animal shall be liable to the person aggrieved for treble damages sustained by the aggrieved person, to be recovered in a civil action brought for that purpose.

So I can see why the owner of the found cattle isn't coming forward, as there might be a fine or ticket accompanying the cattle.