Cows—as crime-stoppers? You bet. They know trouble when they see, or smell, it.

Earlier this month, a herd of cattle chased a suspected car thief through its Florida pasture, then cornered her. A sheriff’s department helicopter equipped with a night-vision camera caught the whole scene: The crazy-crisscrossing culprit and the galloping (sometimes charging) images of the cows and calves herding the human.

One big gal got so close that it seemed she might trample the suspect. Then, just as quickly, she juked off at the last second.

“A herd of cattle provided law enforcement a big assist, repeatedly following and helping corral one who strayed on to their turf!” the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office captioned the recording.

At the edge of the field, the suspect seemed all too happy to climb under the fence and into a comfortable pair of handcuffs.

Newscasters pointed out that there were calves among the cows; maybe they were just trying to protect their offspring from some sense of threat.

It’s true, mama cows are deeply maternal—attentive and loving parents—that also help their fellow mom-cows when needed.

But that’s only part of the story. Researchers say that cows are intelligent and emotionally complex. They’re friendly to humans who are friendly to them. Generally, while there’s a lot going on in their giant heads, they’re lovers of peace and tranquility, as DH Lawrence noted about his favorite cow, Susan. But they also can hold grudges against aggressive people and cows—anyone or anything that treats them badly. They remember the bad incidents and react as most humans would in stressful, dangerous situations.

Capable of smelling things six miles away, they certainly knew something stinky was in their field. (Or, maybe it was the backpack full of cocaine they left behind in the stolen car?). Plus, with nearly 360-degree panoramic vision, they may just be the perfect crime-stoppers.

It’s not often that cows make the daily moos, er, news, but this story made everyone take note. Wonder if these delightful cow crime-stoppers will get a commendation.

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