Cows that ran ‘up and down’ Highway 400 west of Newmarket now off road, delays reported: OPP

Ontario Provincial Police officers say half a dozen cows found wandering along Highway 400 west of Newmarket are now off the busy road, but the incident created major delays for drivers heading north to cottage country.

In a video post on the OPP Highway Safety Division X account, Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the bizarre encounter began at around 2 p.m. when the cows escaped an enclosure somewhere. The animals then walked south past Highway 9 and eventually to Canal Road.

“We’re working with the owners of these cows to try to get them back into trailers, but they’re not too cooperative at this time. So heavy delays, heavy traffic both directions,” he said.

The 42-second video shows a light-coloured cow standing in the grass median of the highway looking straight at the camera after briefly turning its head.

Traffic in both directions on Highway 400 was briefly shut down as officials attempted to get the animals away from the roadway.

Schmidt said in an update late Friday afternoon that two of the cows were corralled while four others were still loose in a field just west of Highway 400.

Cows on #Hwy400 between Hwy9 and Aurora Rd.
Heavy delays in both directions. #AuroraOPP working with the owners to get them to a safe place. ^ks pic.twitter.com/LKjTdMF1eV

— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) May 16, 2025