German Cow That Escaped Slaughter Still at Large 3 Months Later

Yvonne, a six-year old cow, escaped her farm in Germany three months ago before she was due to be slaughtered -- and she still hasn't been caught.

According to The Guardian, Yvonne has become one of Germany's most famous fugitives. Police ordered Yvonne to be shot on sight after she caused a near collision with a patrol car, but residents have been on the lookout for her for months hoping to find her before police did:

Gut Aiderbichl, an animal sanctuary in Austria, paid Yvonne's owner €600 ($866), vowing to bring the cow to safety before she was knocked down by a Bavarian bullet.

Her whereabouts have now become a national obsession in Germany, with one tabloid offering a reward of €10,000 (more than $14,000) for her safe return.

Police have since temporarily suspended shooting Yvonne on sight 'til this Sunday. Helicopters have searched for her. An animal whisperer has been brought in, not to mention Ernest the Bull. Rescuers have kicked up search efforts, but haven't had many leads. The Gaurdian reports, however, that some vital clues to her whereabouts have been found:

This week the Gut Aiderbichl search party spotted some vital clues, including cowpats created, they swear, by Yvonne. A hunter claimed that in the early hours of Monday he came face-to-face with Yvonne, Michael Aufhauser, who runs Gut Aiderbichl, reported.

"He told us he looked into her eyes and she looked back like a wild animal, not a dairy cow," said Aufhauser.

The hunter was not allowed to shoot Yvonne because Gut Aiderbichl had been granted an injunction which made it temporarily illegal to kill her.

Watch Yvonne's story and even see grainy footage of her here:

Yvonne has gained celebrity status with a Facebook page and a song that has been played on German radio stations. Lyrics from the folk song, which is sung in German, include: "Why don't you leave Yvonne alone, she's only a runaway cow. You wild cow, don't let them take your freedom."

Yvonne isn't the first cow to evade the slaughterhouse. The Blaze reported about a bovine's escape in Queens, New York, earlier this month. There was also Shrek the sheep from New Zealand who, though not destined for slaughter, ran away to avoid the shears for six years; he was later caught and provided 59 pounds of fleece.