Loud cow churns up controversy

HUGO, Minn. -- You could call it a moo-ing violation.

A cow in Minnesota was accused of creating a disturbance by being too loud. But the case may have a happy ending after all for the animal and its owner.

One look at his face and you can tell Wally is more than ready to retire from his 15 minutes of fame.

Now, thanks to the Hugo city attorney, Wally can go right ahead.

After a whirlwind three weeks the city attorney has decided that it's just not possible to prosecute a farmer whose only fault is that her 900-pound Jersey steer tends to moo.

That farmer, Karyl Hylle, couldn't be happier.

"I mean, I definitely understand where people see the humor in this, but it is a zoned farm and I can have livestock and livestock do make noise," Hylle said with a smile.

The prosecutor did not want to speak on camera but said, in this case, there is a lack of evidence and a lack of specificity in the ticket earned by Wally for excessive mooing.

The complaining neighbor in this case, Mark, who lives about 100 yards from Wally's pen, said he didn't want to speak on camera even though he is the only person who had a beef with Wally.

According to documents on file with the county, Mark called Washington County sheriff's deputies to the farm 21 times before the citation.

Tuesday, once again, Wally the accused wouldn't say a word.

Karyl, who says she is ready to make nice with the neighbor, says she wants to move Wally to another pasture but just doesn't have the money to build a new pen.

Plus, in the winter, she says, Wally would have to come back to the patch he's in now to be closer to the barn for warmth.

Even though this new development is a win for the steer, he's not boasting. He's doing exactly what he's done for the past few weeks -- keeping quiet.

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