A colt stood eating grass on the side of Interstate 75 Thursday, with drivers concerned the animal would try to pass the busy thoroughfare. Sheriff Fred Yaden and his deputies were called about the incident and spent the next two hours trying to get the horse contained, trying to find its owner, trying to figure out a way to transport it, and trying to prevent the animal from panicking and taking off.

“Finally, after two hours, one good samaritan offered to let us use his trailer but by then Animal Control and the owner had showed up,” Yaden said.

The next morning another horse had escaped, this time from a field in the Level Green area. In the meantime, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dealing with 20 head of cattle that had gotten out in Pittsburg.

It’s a situation that Yaden said has been happening more and more, with precious man hours spent on the incidents.

“We’re not equipped to chase horses and cattle,” Yaden said. “We have no way of containing them, no way of hauling them. The only thing we can offer is to shoot them and we don’t want to do that.”

But, Yaden pointed out, if the colt had dared to run across I-75, that’s exactly what would have had to happen.

“That could have caused a massive wreck,” he said.

While the responsibility seems like it should fall on the shoulders of the Laurel County Animal Shelter, its workers can’t do much more. Its employees have neither the facilities nor the equipment to house or haul large animals.

In terms of who lawfully must take care of the animals, Kentucky statutes on the matter are antiquated. Any “ungathered horse or jack” may be “taken up or confined by any person.” If the owner is known, a notice must be sent to him/her. A total of $2 should be given to the person for coming to get the animal. If the owner is unknown, the matter should be brought before the justice of the peace, “which should cause it to be appraised and dealt with as a stray.”

Kentucky no longer has justices of the peace.

The laws are equally archaic concerning cattle running loose. In that case, the sheriff is supposed to impound the cattle found running at large and house and feed it. For his trouble, he will be paid up to, and no more than, $3.

As such, Yaden simply asked that owners keep a good watch over their herds and make sure their fences are intact.

“Right now, it’s a real mess,” he said.

Staff writer Tara Kaprowy can be reached by e-mail at tkaprowy@sentinel-echo.com.