by Macy Jenkins, KHOU-TV Houston
DAYTON, Texas — More than 500 head of cattle stranded in rising water were rescued Sunday in a move that hadn't been seen in Texas in hundreds of years.
With the help of cowboys and law enforcement, the animals had to travel 9 miles to escape the flooded land from the swollen Trinity River.
“This is something,” said Ricky Brown. “It's really a taste of the Old West coming back in here.”
The rescue efforts began Sunday morning as the water closed in on the cattle. Nearly 1,800 acres of dry land quickly dwindled to 50 acres, so owner Pat Hencey began to lead them away from the area.
It took several hours of swimming and walking, but at least 200 of the cattle made the nine-mile journey to the CMC Rail Yard in Dayton, where they will stay until the river's water level decreases, according to Captain Ken DeFoor of the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.
Many residents of this town of 7,390, gathered along Highway 90 to watch the cattle go by. Dayton is about 40 miles east of Houston.
“Everybody just wants to be a part of this,” Brown said. “This is something that hasn't happened in probably 200 years.”
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Source: USA Today
