Cows invading Rio Rancho neighborhoods

RIO RANCHO (KRQE) - Residents in Rio Rancho’s North Meadows say they don’t know what to do with a growing problem. A cattle herd has been traveling from the west ends of the city limits into neighborhoods causing car crashes and eating gardens at some homes.

"In this past week there have been three incidents with the cows right up here on our patio," Debbie Harris said.

The cows have been a problem for several years, but Harris said she’s seeing them more and more. Her son called one night last week, unable to get into the family’s driveway, she added.

“He said, “There’s this big bull out there, and there's a cow in the courtyard in front of the house,’" said Harris. "Walking out with a bull and five cows, the bull is obviously mooing away, protecting the cows. So you don't know what he's going to do to you," she said.

New Mexico law says ranchers aren’t responsible for keeping their cattle wrangled. The “fenced-out” law says it’s up to individual homeowners to fence their property in order to keep the livestock out.

"Wandering is fine, destroying property is another story," Harris continued. "And when there's absolutely nothing you can do about it, it's an even worse story."

Harris said she rents her house and the landlord won’t pay to put up a fence.

"Ultimately I feel like the ranchers should do a little more,” she said.