Topline
Police are investigating after a dead cow was found outside the FarmHouse fraternity house near the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Friday, local news organizations reported, just one day before the university’s football team is set to play the University of Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Oklahoma State Library on the campus of Oklahoma State University is photographed on Oct. 1, 2005 in … [+]
Key Facts
A spokesperson for the Stillwater Police Department told 2 News Oklahoma that someone called to report the dead cow around 6:39 a.m. Friday.
The cow was found with a large cut through the stomach and vulgar writing branded onto its side: “F**K FH.”
Police are investigating the incident as potential animal cruelty, a felony, and as improper disposal of a dead animal, according to 2 News Oklahoma.
Police told KFOR that the cow appeared to have been dead for less than 24 hours when they found it and it didn’t appear to be killed on the lawn.
Additionally, police said there were tire tracks on the lawn and it appeared as though a truck or trailer dropped it off, according to KFOR.
Forbes has reached out to the Stillwater Police Department for confirmation.
What We Don’t Know
Who or what killed the cow and placed it in front of the fraternity as well as what their motive was. It’s possible it was a prank between fraternities on campus or that it was a reference to the Big 12 Championship football game Saturday. Police are investigating where the cow came from and who put it on the fraternity house lawn, though that investigation is still in an early stage, according to KFOR.
News Peg
On Saturday, Oklahoma State’s football team is set to play Texas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas to decide the Big 12 championship. As Texas’ mascot is a longhorn cow, it seems the incident could be a reference to Saturday’s game. Oklahoma State and Texas are in-conference rivals, and Saturday’s game has implications for the College Football Playoff. Texas is a contender for the playoffs that needs a win Saturday to make the semifinals. The last time Oklahoma State played Texas was in October 2022 in Stillwater, when they beat the Longhorns 41-34.
Chief Critics
The university told Forbes in a statement that it is “appalled at the disturbing display of animal cruelty that occurred overnight at an off-campus location near a fraternity house,” explaining that in addition to the Stillwater Police Department, the university’s office of student support and conduct has also launched an investigation. The FarmHouse fraternity said in a statement to Forbes: “As a chapter founded on principles driven by our agricultural roots, we’re just as sickened and surprised by this incident as our peers on campus.” The fraternity called it “disheartening to see the disregard for proper animal welfare and treatment displayed by this situation.” The chapter said that none of its members were involved in the incident, that it immediately informed police when the carcass was discovered and that it is working with the authorities during their investigation.
Further Reading
Dead longhorn shows up on OK State fraternity FarmHouse’s lawn (2 News Oklahoma)
Dead longhorn found on front lawn of OSU fraternity (KFOR)
Oklahoma State fraternity finds dead longhorn in yard before Texas-OSU Big 12 championship game (Tulsa World)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/willskipworth/2023/12/01/dead-cow-found-in-front-of-oklahoma-state-fraternity-house-ahead-of-big-12-championship-game/