Bailey, a shaggy brown buffalo that was just as comfortable inside its owner’s home as its corral, has died. It was eight years old.
Bailey died April 4 after its back leg was trapped in the metal bars of a feeder at an acreage near Spruce Grove, Alta., said owners Jim and Linda Sautner in a website posting.
The leg was quickly freed and no bones were broken, but the buffalo could not stand.
“As a result of laying on his side for some time under duress, he succumbed to the pressure this created on his heart and lungs and died soon after with his head on my lap and my arms hugging desperately,” Linda Sautner wrote.
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“It is still so hard to believe that such a freak occurrence could end our eight years with our wonderful pet buffalo. We have a great deal to celebrate in the incredible life of Bailey, and we know we were so blessed to be a part of that life.
“Bailey was a completely unique animal with a unique relationship to people (especially Jim) that far surpassed what we ever thought could happen. As long as Jim was beside him, Bailey would go anywhere and do just about anything.”
Bailey was a regular at fairs and events in Alberta and became the bison industry’s unofficial ambassador.
Unlike other bottle fed animals, Bailey never became aggressive as it grew older but remained a gentle giant.
“He loved being around people, loved the attention they gave him, loved to be brushed, loved his trailer rides, loved to ‘dance’ with Jim,” Sautner wrote.
For his fourth birthday party, a gala celebration was held in its honour at a high-end Edmonton hotel, complete with bagpipes and dignitaries.
His picture appeared in many magazines, including with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.
American talk show host Jay Leno wanted Bailey on the show, but the bison never made it south because the border was closed due to BSE.
