Fayette County Sheriff's Office is currently looking into the matter after learning about the rapper's neighbors' concerns regarding his escaped buffaloes, cautioning that the animals can be 'unpredictable.'
- Mar 23, 2023
AceShowbiz - Rick Ross could be held accountable for letting his buffaloes loose in his neighborhood. Fayette County Sheriff's Office has stressed that an owner "is responsible for properly restraining the animals" and "if the owner is shown to be negligent, they could be charged."
Responding to the rapper's neighbors' complaints, The Sheriff's Office issued a statement via its Facebook page earlier this week. Along with a photo of the hip-hop mogul's animals grazing the grass, they wrote, "Who would have ever thought, Buffalo in Fayette County."
"On March 13, several buffalo decided to take a stroll around Fayette County and explore the beautiful homes of the Northbridge Community. The Sheriff's Office was made aware of the situation and is currently working with the Fayette County Marshal's Office to remedy the situation," they continued. "Sheriff Babb and Chief Deputy Rhodes have also been in communication with Northbridge residents since last week listening to these concerns."
They added, "While it is legal to own livestock (cattle, sheep, horses, goats, etc.), in Fayette County, the owner is responsible for properly restraining the animals. If the owner is shown to be negligent, they could be charged. (O.C.G.A. 4-3-3)."
The Sheriff's Office went on cautioning that the animals can be "unpredictable and possibly become aggressive." They reminded people, "So, as captivating as these animals are, we encourage everyone to use caution if they were to encounter them. Although they are mostly docile, they can be unpredictable and possibly become aggressive. If you happen to encounter the buffalo, we encourage you to contact the Fayette County Sheriff's Office."
Meanwhile, Rick, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts II, appears to continue downplaying the danger that is posed by his buffaloes. "See, when y'all come across Timbuktu, just tell him y'all family, say I'm coming to show you love," he said in an Instagram Story video on Tuesday, March 21 while feeding carrots and apples to two bison and his pet horses.
"You got to show him that love," he added, as he broke into a rendition of Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldier". In the caption, he called himself "Rodeo Rick."
Rick additionally informed his followers that his property was 280+ acres when he originally bought it, and he had purchased another "89 acres on the back side." He claimed, "So my buffalos, they just really wanted to see the other side you see. It's just like some of my young hustlers, my young brothers, you gotta get loose sometimes and see the other side... live life."
TMZ previously reported that locals complained after Rick's buffaloes wandered onto his neighbor's property in Fayetteville, GA twice last week. The woman's worried the animals may pose a danger to her small children.
When the woman went to Rick's place to complain about the escaped animals, it allegedly led to a verbal dispute with a member of the rapper's team. She then filed a neighbor dispute with the city and tried calling police, but cops said it's a civil dispute and didn't take a report.
In response to the report, the 47-year-old star said in a video posted on his Story on Sunday, "So when you see my buffalo, give it a carrot, give it apple. They're so kind, they're so peaceful." He added, "Thank everybody for watching. Thank everybody for making sure all of my animals got back into the Promised Land. All my neighbors, y'all the best."
