DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police spent hours trying to round up a cow out for a late-night ramble through downtown and nearby neighborhoods but finally lost the animal. Police say officers responded Monday night to reports of a cow on the loose in the East Village area of downtown. After trying to catch the animal for nearly three hours, it disappeared into a forested area along the Des Moines River, north of downtown near Birdland Marina.

In a Facebook post, police noted, “We’re cops, not cowboys.” Police say they don’t know how the cow ended up downtown. The police department’s animal control unit has a plan if the animal is spotted again. Officials recommended people try not to capture the animal themselves.