When the Goff family emerged from their home the morning after Irma passed through Gulfport, they didn't know exactly what to expect — trees down? Flooded streets? Damage to their home?
What they found was a cow.
A miniature cow, to be precise, in their front yard, whose name is reportedly Coby Beef. The Goffs own Pia's Trattoria, and while they do serve grass-fed local beef, the meat at Pia's typically isn't quite this fresh.
By that point, Gulfport police had already posted perhaps — but maybe not — its oddest BOLO ever on Facebook:
"Anyone missing a cow? Found in the area of 19th Avenue and 55th Street. So far we can't catch it," they posted. You can read the responses here, none of which were from someone 'fessing up to owning the cow.
(Note: Officers did manage to catch an escaped pig in October of 2014, so their livestock retrieval record boasts at least one victory.)
Gulfport police chief Rob Vincent told CL he had "no idea" what happened to the cow.
"Never saw it again after that," he said via text. "Heard a rumor it was a contraband Gulfport resident."
It is indeed illegal to own cows in Gulfport, but Coby — whom the Goff family does not own — found his way home before getting captured.
This article appears in Sep 7-14, 2017.