text: An entire herd of buffalo has been shot dead by law enforcement in upstate New York after they escaped from a farm. Around 15 animals ran away from their pen in Schodack in Rensselaer County on Thursday evening and then swam across the Hudson River. They then started running down the Thruway, a series of toll roads which link up the major cities in the state, including Buffalo and New York City. Three men hired by the farm were cleared to open fire Friday afternoon in a stream in woods in the town of Coeymans, about 10 miles south of the state capital Albany. Scroll down for video . Around 15 animals ran away from a farm in Schodack, upstate New York, on Thursday and then swam across the Hudson River. They were all shot dead by law enforcement on Friday. The herd are pictured crossing a road in Bethlehem, New York . The owner of the farm from where they escaped say the group managed to swim across the Hudson River. They then made there way towards Bethlehem, New York . An armed law enforcement official stands in the driveway near where the buffalo were on the loose . Three men hired by the farm were cleared to open fire Friday afternoon in a stream in woods in the town of Coeymans, about 10 miles south of the state capital Albany . One of the men firing at the animals gets into a heated exchange with officials before another is bundled into a car by deputies . Police say the decision was made after experts agreed tranquilizers would not be effective and no portable corrals could hold the animals. George Mesick, the farm's owner, told Albany's Times Union they must have swam across the river to the town of Bethlehem, where they wandered Friday morning between Interstate 87 and the river's west bank. The herd crossed a local road at about 11:15 a.m. and ambled onto the Thruway in a spot 10 miles south of Albany. Drivers slowed to avoid the buffalo. The animals safely crossed the northbound lanes and then trotted south on the shoulder into some woods. Mesick had previously admitted he had little hope they would be captured unharmed. 'There is a zero percent chance of getting them back right now I think. I just want to get this done with as fast as possible so that no one gets hurt,' he said earlier on Friday. He would have tried to bring the herd in himself, but they are wild and not tame.  A police helicopter was hovering over them to make sure the group did not split. The buffalo are seen heading down the side of the interstate next to a sign pointing towards the Massachusetts Turnpike and Boston . Vehicles were forced to slow down as they tried to avoid the rampaging animals running beside the busy road . The animals safely crossed the northbound lanes on Friday morning and then trotted south on the shoulder into some woods .
target: 15 animals escaped from a farm in Schodack in upstate New York on Thursday evening then crossed the river .
  They safely crossed roads and made it onto the Thurway which links up the major cities in the state .
  However authorities took the decision to gun them down because they posed a danger to the public .
  Police say the decision was made after experts agreed tranquilizers would not be effective .