A famous NJ bull is recovering from a serious leg infection

🐂 NJ Transit's famous bull, Ricardo is in the news again

🐂 The bull was sent to live out his days at a Sussex County animal sanctuary

🐂 He is currently battling a serious leg infection that requires a lot of care

WANTAGE — Remember Ricardo, the bull?

He made headlines in mid-December after he was spotted trotting along the Northeast Corridor tracks of New Jersey Transit in Newark, making it to Newark Penn Station. As a result, NJ Transit and Amtrak trains were delayed as police tried to capture the bull. Ricardo was soon cornered in a parking lot, tranquilized by Newark police, and taken away in an animal-carrying trailer.

While Ricardo was spotted on Frelinghuysen Avenue near Victoria Street in Newark, it was never disclosed where he was before that. There is speculation, however, that Ricardo may have escaped from a local slaughterhouse.

Since his escape and capture, Ricardo was sent to live at Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue in Wantage, 232 acres of pastures that provide homes to over 400 farm animals who have escaped certain doom.

Skylands owner, Mike Stura said Ricardo needed to get a clean bill of health from a veterinarian before he could join the other animals at his forever home.

Unfortunately, things have taken a turn for Ricardo. According to the Skylands Sanctuary’s Facebook page, the bull had what looked like a half-dollar-sized road rash wound on his leg when Stura first met him.

Ricardo was taken to a vet where he was examined and put on antibiotics.

“He got the antibiotics along with vaccinations he needed and we took blood for all the test he required to be cleared and eventually join other animals. He was put in an isolation area pending the results of those tests,” the page read.

However, on Christmas Eve, the tiny wound suddenly looked inflamed. Ricardo was immediately put in a trailer and taken to Cornell Large Animal Hospital in Ithaca, New York, where it was determined that Ricardo did indeed have an infection and needed to be treated for it.

Stura said Ricardo was sedated, and underwent many X-rays and ultrasounds. A hard cast had to be put on the bull’s leg to stop him from bending it because the wound and infection was at the joint on his hock.

“He is at the best large animal hospital on the planet. He continues to get the wound cleaned and receive the medicine he needs. He is doing better and the infection seems to be less and less,” Stura wrote.

He thanked the doctors at Cornell for taking care of Ricardo, and for sending him photos of his recovery, which Stura has graciously shared on social media for those who follow Ricardo and his story.

When will Ricardo come back home to the sanctuary? When the wound is completely healed and he is ready to come home, Stura answered.

Ricardo’s health is of the utmost importance to Stura and the sanctuary.

“Thank you all for caring about our boy,” he said.

We wish Ricardo a speedy recovery.

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