(ProsperNews.net) – A New York farm worker died when a cow attacked her as she tended to its calf. St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department announced that 28-year-old Flor Lopez of Lisbon died in a hospital in Ogdensburg, New York, after an overprotective cow charged at her and kicked her several times. Deputies say the exact cause of death is not yet determined.
Lisbon is a rural town near the Canadian border, around 200 miles from Rochester. The 28-year-old was employed at the Flack Farm company and was reportedly caring for the cow’s newborn when the incident occurred. Jefferson County agricultural coordinator Jay Matteson said he was shocked to hear of the unusual attack but acknowledged that cows are enormous and unpredictable animals capable of causing extensive harm to humans.
While cattle attacks on people are relatively rare in the US, they still take more than a dozen American lives every year. Approximately 20 people die in cow-related incidents annually, with more than half involving the female. In some cases, several cows attack at once, often when hikers or joggers pass through their fields.
A Colorado woman, jogging in Boulder County last year, found herself surrounded by roughly 30 menacing cows after veering onto their pasture. The cows kicked and stomped the woman, but fortunately, another person passed at the time and called 911. The victim survived, and local officials issued public warnings urging people to avoid the area during calving season when mothers are known to become significantly more aggressive.
Experts say the animals are also dangerous if they are uncomfortable, in pain, or have not had enough to eat. Cattle are furthermore known to fight with each other if they are in confined spaces and competing for food or water. Humans can lower the risk of attack by avoiding their habitat, but if that’s not possible, by keeping their voices low, not approaching the animal from behind, and not presenting any obvious threat to calves.
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