Phill, the water buffalo, who made national headlines and won the hearts of Iowans last summer when he escaped from the person who bought him to slaughter for meat last summer, has died. Iowa Farm Sanctuary (IFS) posted on social media on Thursday that they had rushed Phill to Iowa State University’s Large Animal Hospital […]
Pleasant Hill
Posted inCommunity/News
Peak Iowa: Getting his Phill of freedom
In the summer of 1820, as he led an army expedition across the territory that became Iowa, Capt. Stephen Kearney spotted “a large drove of Buffaloe … probably 5 thousand.” Of course, the animals weren’t buffalo. The big, shaggy beasts were bison. It doesn’t feel quite so pedantic to make that distinction now that Iowans […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill the water buffalo’s former owner faces misdemeanor charge
A month after Phill the water buffalo made his escape over a fence in Pleasant Hill, his former owner has been charged with a misdemeanor. Prem Nepal of Des Moines was charged with having an animal at large. It is a simple misdemeanor, and if convicted, Nepal could face a fine of between $105 and […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill the water buffalo is out of the hospital and reunited with his bovine best friend
Phill the water buffalo is out of the hospital and settling into life at his new home, the Iowa Farm Sanctuary (IFS), Shawn Camp announced in a video posted to the sanctuary’s Instagram page on Thursday. Camp, who founded and runs IFS with her husband Jared, said they picked up Phill yesterday and brought him […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill, the wandering water buffalo of Polk County, has a new home at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary. So do two of his friends.
Phill the domesticated water buffalo’s escape into the suburban streets of Pleasant Hill in late August captured the attention and imagination of people nationwide. It came to an end after five days when Phill was found, subdued with a tranquilizer dart and sent to Iowa State University’s Large Animal Hospital in Ames to receive medical […]
