The Courageous Story of Bonnie the Cow
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are being treated.” The shocking number of animal cruelty cases reported every day is just the tip of the iceberg—most cases are never reported, and even less prosecuted. The animals whose abuse are most often reported are dogs, cats, horses, and livestock. The inhumane conditions of slaughterhouses have been highlighted numerous times by animal rights activists.
Every time we hear of an animal being rescued, we cheer a small cry of victory for these poor creatures who can now live without fear of human-inflicted pain or slaughter. This conviction has driven many animal lovers to adopt lifestyles that discourage animal cruelty such as adopting a vegetarian diet, saving animals from slaughterhouses, or campaigning for animal rights.
The article below by Kelli Bender, as featured in PEOPLE.com, is about courage. It tells a heart-warming story of a gutsy cow named Bonnie who managed to escape its doomed fate from a slaughterhouse and lived for eight months in the woods with a herd of deer before being rescued. Thus, proving to us that animals too have feelings, and if given a chance they would rather not be the object of human consumption. May the story of Bonnie’s bravery inspire many to develop love and respect for animals. We must stop hurting them, using them and eating them. I am grateful to the people at Farm Sanctuary for rescuing Bonnie and I hope more people will support them in their compassionate works. Please visit their website.
It is amazing Bonnie survived with the herd of deer being just a baby. It is beautiful the deer herd accepted Bonnie and gave her company, shelter and perhaps protection of some sorts. There is more safety in numbers. A beautiful story of survival. No one wants to die, everyone should be allowed to live.
May animals always be safe, Tsem Rinpoche
Baby Cow Escapes Slaughterhouse and Is Raised by Deer Family in Snowy Forest
Bonnie the cow has since been rescued from the forest and moved to Farm Sanctuary after eight months in the woods
By Kelli Bender
June 26, 2018 05:19 PM
Are we out of the woods yet?
If you’re Bonnie the cow, then yes! This adorable brown and white cow now lives at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York, but it was a long, scary and sometimes magical road to get there.
At 4 months old the calf fled from her home in Holland, New York, which was a farm that raised cattle for slaughter, reports Farm Sanctuary. What made Bonnie run was the desperate cries of her bovine family, who were being rounded up to be sold to a slaughterhouse. With her owners busy loading a trailer with confused cows, Bonnie seized the moment and galloped off into the nearby forest.
Photo credit: Farm Sanctuary
Word of Bonnie’s escape quickly spread through the neighborhood, and though those wandering through the woods would catch glimpses of the cow, none were able to capture her. Weeks passed, and Bonnie remained at large. Many marveled at how the cow was able to survive on her own in the woods during the winter. They soon found the farm animal wasn’t alone.
Photo credit: Becky Bartels
Cameras set up in the forest by hunters started picking up footage of Bonnie surrounded by a herd of deer. Based on what the cameras were capturing, it appeared that Bonnie had found solace with the herd and that the herd, in turn, had accepted her. The cow traveled, ate and rested with the forest creatures. This herd animal, though a different species, was accepted into a new group after losing her original family.
Photo credit: Becky Bartels
While Bonnie appeared to be surviving in the woods, animal lover Becky Bartels knew this would not always be the case. Bonnie was a domesticated animal facing a cruel northeastern winter. After spotting Bonnie on a camera she had set up, Bartels, who owns the land that Bonnie was frolicking on with her deer friends, started approaching the cow. Throughout the winter, every day, Bartels would trek through the snow, pulling a sled carrying food and bedding for Bonnie. Eventually, the cow, who was terrified of humans after her last encounter, warmed up to Bartels and began approaching her for pats and snacks.
Photo credit: Becky Bartels
It sounds like a fairy tale, but Bartels knew it couldn’t last, especially with neighbors who threatened to kill the cow if she wandered onto their property. So Bartels reached out to Farm Sanctuary for help. Farm Sanctuary is a non-profit dedicated to rescuing and caring for abused, neglected and abandoned farm animals, providing them with a loving lifetime home where they can relax and not worry about being seen as food.
Photo credit: Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary sent out a rescue crew to move Bonnie out of the woods to her new home. It took a few tries, but after safely corralling and sedating Bonnie, they were able to move her onto a truck that took her to Farm Sanctuary.
Photo credit: Farm Sanctuary
After eight months out in the wild with her deer friends, Bonnie has adjusted well to her new digs at Farm Sanctuary. Here, she has made new friends and is constantly showered with the care and affection she desires.
Photo credit: Becky Bartels
If you would like to learn more about Bonnie and how to help her and other animals like her, visit Farm Sanctuary’s website.
The above information and pictures are extracted from: People (May 4, 2019). Retrieved from: https://people.com/pets/cow-raised-by-deer-farm-sanctuary/?fbclid=IwAR2auPGwUfRzv7BkrdBanPCt1SqwPEIdDNG6UB0gKBrUp5hHOUQAqPg7ZM0
Bonnie – One calf’s will to live
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It touched my heart deeply seeing the effort in rescuing Bonnie to her new home, especially considering her psychology mind at that time. Every time we hear new regarding animals being rescued, we cheer a small cry of victory for these poor creatures.
How great her rescuers were in handling Bonnie with such great compassion and sensitivity to her feelings. Thank you very much for sharing this good article with us.
This is a powerful tale of a most courageous young cow, Bonnie, and a most compassionate lady, who rescued her and finally turned her over to the safe and loving care of a shelter called Farm Sanctuary.Four month old Bonnie had run away from her home, a farm that raised animals to be slaughtered, as she heard “the desperate cries of her bovine family, who were being rounded up to be sold to a slaughterhouse”.
After running away to the nearby woods, she joined a herd of deer, who accepted her as one of them. Fortunately for Bonnie, she was moving around with the herd of deer in the woods which belonged to a most compassionate lady , Becky Bartels. This animal lover knew she had to rescue Bonnie as she would not be able to survive in the harsh winter cold. Again, luck was on the side of Bonnie, as Becky was able to reach out to a shelter home for animals like Bonnie called Farm Sanctuary.
So a rescue operation was organised and effected over a period of time, with much care, patience and gentleness on the part of Becky and the rescuers from Farm Sanctuary. Finally, Bonnie was brought to the warmth and safety of her home for life , to which she adapted within eight months. She has made new friends and is constantly showered with the care and affection she desires”.
What a beautiful touching story with a fairy tale ending.How great her rescuers were in handling Bonnie with such great compassion and sensitivity to her feelings. How compassionate Rinpoche was in finding this story and sharing it with us. If only all humans were kind and caring and understood the basic right to life of every being.
Thank you for this article. Personally, i love animals so much especially dogs. It is true that most cases regarding animal abuse are never reported. Every time we hear new regarding animals being rescued, we cheer a small cry of victory for these poor creatures.
It is amazing how Bonnie survived with the herd of deer being just a baby. It is beautiful the deer herd accepted Bonnie and gave her company, shelter and perhaps protection of some sorts. Thank you.
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https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986650.mp4
This is Daw
This is what they do to get meat on tables, and to produce belts and jackets. Think twice before your next purchase.
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Don’t Take My Mummy Away!
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They do this every day!
This is how they are being treated every day of their lives. Please do something to stop the brutality. Listen to their cries for help!
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Beautiful story of Bonnie the cow, fled from her home which was a farm that raised cattle for slaughter. Bonnie survives the hush winter and had found solace with the herd of wild deer. Wonderful even though they are of different species , Bonnie was accepted into the group. Nevertheless, bonnie was surviving in the woods, travelled, ate and rested with the wild deer. Bonnie lived with wild deer for almost a year before been rescued by a kind woman… Becky .Bonnie survived in the woods, with the help of animal lover Becky, who gave her foods and built her a shelter during the winter. Bonnie was finally rescued and united with her new friends in Farm Sanctuary. Farm Sanctuary is a non-profit dedicated to rescuing and caring for abused, neglected and abandoned farm animals. Bonnie deserves the happy life that she is living now. All animals do have feelings like us, needs our hugs , caring and loving .
Thank you Rinpoche for this beautiful sharing of Bonnie has beaten all the odds, created an inspirational story of survival.
It was a tear of joy at the end of the video. It touched my heart deeply seeing the effort in rescuing Bonnie to her new home, especially considering her psychology mind at that time. At conscious level, she was prone to feeling trapped previously and hence the want to feel free and unrestricted is very strong. Knowing this, the rescuers tried their best in making sure that she wasn’t feeling trapped again. Although being sedated, they reassured her that they are giving her freedom. Really thanks to the wonderful Becky and the people from Farm Sanctuary.