Can You Legally Pet a Cow on the Road in Montana?

Some days, you just have to hop in the truck and go for a drive. There's something therapeutic about a nice little drive to get away from the norm and take in your surroundings.

I did just that with the family yesterday when my daughter asked a question some people might not know the answer to.

Can You Pet A Random Cow On The Side Of The Road In Montana?

As you'd might expect when going for a drive in Montana, you're probably going to see a cow or ten along your drive.

When on our drive yesterday, my daughter asked: "Daddy, can I pet the cows?"

I knew right away I was going to politely tell her no but it did get me thinking: "Are people who are new to Montana aware of this? What if someone didn't know and tried to pet a cow on the side of a road?"

What Are The Laws On Petting A Random Cow In Montana?

As innocent as it sounds, you can't just go up to a random cow and pet it. According to Montana legislation, you could be breaking several laws including Criminal Trespass To Property (45-2-203) by entering private land.

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Another law you'd be at risk of committing Unlawful Acts (81-30-103) as petting a cow without consent could be seen as "exercising control" over the animal. By tampering with someone else's property, you could also be committing Criminal Mischief (45-6-101) and possibly also face charges of animal cruelty (45-8-211) according Montana legislation.

Now apart from the laws, there is another important reason to avoid touching a random cow.

Montana Locals Warn Outsiders: Beware Of The Bull

That's right. The second I let my friends at work know I was going to share the legal ramifications of petting a cow, they didn't beat around the bush when sharing another important reason to not pet a cow - the bull.

The quote I got from JD put it best: "Do not cross this field... unless you can do it in 9 seconds because the bull can do it in 10."

Be safe (and smart) out there!