$300 reward on tap for Rosie’s return

It’s not so sweet when your beloved cow is stolen.

Over at Susan’s Sweets in Bothell’s Country Village, when owner Susan Swanigan was away on a family emergency, a thief or thieves snatched her artificial cow sometime between the evening of Aug. 8 and the morning of Aug. 10, according to Country Village manager Leeann Tesorieri.

Swanigan told Tesorieri that the cow weighs between 50 and 70 pounds and is light enough for one person to carry it.

“It was chained to a post, so they had to cut through the chain,” Tesorieri said, noting that bolt cutters were probably used. “It was really popular — customers’ kids would sit on top of it and have their picture taken.”

Added Swanigan: “I’m really bummed. It’s been a huge part of my business — people love it. That was how people found me … I’m back in a little corner (at Country Village).”

When she noticed the cow missing on Tuesday morning, Tesorieri contacted the Bothell Police Department, who are looking into the matter.

After a story ran in the Seattle Times, a reader contacted Tesorieri and noted that he spotted a similar-looking cow at an antique shop in Tacoma.

While the search is on for the cow, Country Village assistant manager Nancy Stoll sent the Reporter two e-mails that read, in part: “The reward for the safe return of Rosie the cow has been upped to a total of $300 thanks to a local celebrity (John Curley, former Evening Magazine host) through this Saturday only, Aug. 21. No questions asked. In these economic times, when small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, pranks like this can be the last straw … Please help us get Susan’s Sweets’ cow back to its rightful place.”

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Rosie can call Swanigan at (206) 406-1287.

Swanigan is whipping up several batches of cow-pie cookies to be sold at her shop and at Bothell’s Farmers Market on Friday at Country Village (noon to 6 p.m., 23718 Bothell Everett Highway). She’s also making T-shirts with a “Who Moo-ved my Cow?” slogan. Proceeds from the sales of both will go into a “milk” fund for the purchase of a new cow.

The cow is painted black and white, is a little scratched on top from the kids climbing up to have their picture taken, has pink udders and horns and is wearing a cow bell. Swanigan isn’t sure what the cow is made of, but has had it at her shop for about two years.

Rosie’s time with Swanigan began when a former employee noticed the cow in front of a Mountlake Terrace insurance agency.

“I said, ‘Let’s get a baby cow, that would be really cute,'” she noted of her purchase. “(Now) I don’t know if they have any more.”

It’s not the first time something has gone missing from Country Village. Tesorieri said that a treasure chest and a telescope have been taken from the pirate ship.

“We’re disappointed, but we halfway expect those things to go on,” Tesorieri said, noting that those smaller pirate items are placed in a playfield away from the businesses. “But the cow was a big surprise.”

Added Swanigan about returning to work without Rosie stationed in front of her shop: “The other shop owners have been very supportive, very cool, very great.”