Dances with Buffalo "Wildthing"

Some families keep dogs, others keep cats, but the Bridges family of Quinlan, Texas, have a truly unusual pet – 1300 lb (590 kg) buffalo named Wildthing. Wildthing has his own room in the house, where he eats and sleeps, and is so tame that he follows his master, R.C. Bridges, everywhere and even used to dance with him. They are best friends and, when Wildthing turned two in 2007, the family staged a birthday party in his room, draping it in ribbons and making a cake of feed and icing shaped like a buffalo patty, topped with a candle.

R. C., a cowboy since childhood, started raising the baby buffalo in 2005. Helped by his son Lloyd, he “Halter broke” the young bull even though Wildthing could kick and push with the strength of a fully grown animal. Since then, R.C has taught Wildthing to pull a plow, and also a chariot on which he takes the family for rides. Wildthing will happily pull R.C.’s daughter Taylor along on a sleigh and another son Will has learned to ski behind him.

“Wildthing has so much energy and personality,” says R.C.’s wife Sherron, who reveals that the buffalo likes to play with basketball and to take baths. Unfortunately, Wildthing has become too big to dance with- and he still has another 700 – 800 lb (315 -360 Kg) to gain before he’s fully grown.