UPDATED Monday, July 6, 2009 -- 5:30 pm

Caller: "I've got seven loose cows out there that might cause a major accident. Do you hear me?"

Dispatcher: "Yes, ma'am, I'm hearing you."

The dispatcher also heard plenty of profanity! Now, the woman's angry call to 9-1-1 has prompted a response from the local sheriff.

You've probably heard some of the calls -- a man upset about his fast food order calls 9-1-1! In another, a man wants a helicopter ride to a concert.

The sheriff of Dodge County says nonsense calls to 9-1-1 happen everywhere, but he wants people to understand why such calls can be dangerous.

"Good morning, Dodge County communications..."

Pete Kaczmarksi has heard a lot in his more than 20 years as a 9-1-1 dispatcher.

"It can be very hectic."

Dodge County dispatchers handle 75,000 calls a year ... roughly thirty to forty 9-1-1 calls a day.

"We try to determine if it's an actual emergency."

Thursday evening, one of Kaczmarski's co-workers took a call about cows from the owner of this farm.

Dispatch: "911, what's the location of your emergency?"
Caller: "Yes, this is a damn emergency. I've got seven (expletive) cows out loose, maybe going to the (expletive) highway."

Sheriff Todd Nehls wants people to dial 911, but he calls the woman's 2nd call about her livestock, out of line. A deputy responded - to give her a ticket.

"I think when people have the opportunity to reflect... say ... gonna pay the fine."

I talked to the woman who called about her cows. She owns the farm you see behind me. She says she's embarrassed by the call. She was upset and legitimately concerned. She will pay the fine but wants a public apology.

"A lot of people call 9-1-1 just to vent. They're frustrated. They need help," the sheriff says, "If we need to re-direct you to a non-emergency line, we'll do that."

For instance, two years ago, Dodge County took a call from a woman wanting help, in the form of a babysitter.

Dispatcher: "A nanny?"
Caller: "Yup, this is a nanny 911."

"People need to understand, if they call... they're tying up a dispatcher and they're tying up that one 911 line and you only have so many of those."

That's in part why Nehls says he has no plans to apologize when nonsense calls could mean putting actual emergencies on hold.
The sheriff says the fine for abusing 911 is about 200-bucks.

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Posted Monday, July 6, 2009 --- 2:30 p.m.

After a woman called 911 swearing about her cows in a marsh, Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls cautioned against such calls to 911.

He says such calls tie up lines used by dispatchers for actual emergencies. Dispatchers can divert non-emergency calls, and the sheriff encourages people to call 911, but he also says people who abuse the system could be fined about $200.

The woman who called about her cows says she apologized afterward to a deputy sheriff who responded to the situation.

She tells NBC15 she was upset and legitimately concerned the cows could cause a traffic crash. She says she will pay the fine but also wants a public apology from the sheriff for releasing the call.

Sheriff Nehls says the woman's call is public record, and he has no plans to offer an apology.