Humane Society removes dead cow from Half Moon Bay Beach

Public right of way could be an alternative Plan "B" for private Gypsy Hill Road dumping. Just saying.

Half Moon Bay Review/Sara Hayden, 1/17/13.  "Cow poses whale of a problem", large land mammal finally removed from beach.

"The cow may have fallen off the cliff"

"A cow carcass was removed from Half Moon Bay State Beach midday on Jan. 9. Authorities speculate that the cow may have been on the bluffs above the beach and slid off or voluntarily come down to the shoreline.

The Peninsula Humane Society coordinated the removal of the animal, though officials there said it was unclear who was really responsible for such tasks.  The removal of dead marine animals is specifically excluded from the humane society’s contract, but this was clearly not a marine animal. Some language in the contract with San Mateo County suggests that the society is responsible for the removal of dead animals on public right of way, except for those found on freeways and highways, which Caltrans handles.

The San Jose Tallow Co., which specializes in large animal removal, arrived the next day to take the cow off-site. The humane society paid the $300 charge for removal."    Read article.

Reference - public right of way definition.  Merriam Webster, 2b, "the strip of land over which is built a public road."  Legal free dictionary,  Wikipedia definition: "Public right of way."   Example, City of Belmont, CA.  "Right-of-way is an area of land over which people and goods have the right to pass or travel. ... Right-of-way may also be deeded, in which case, it is not an easement, but land owned in fee by the City.  The City controls all public right-of-way in Belmont except for El Camino Real and US101, which are State of California right-of-way. .."  

Related Fix Pacifica reprint article -  Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff, 1/8/13., "Dead deer dumped on Gypsy Hill Road."

Posted by Kathy Meeh