Animals are truly resilient creatures that are capable of adapting when they need to. There are plenty of stories of animals being put into situations that they’re not used to, only to rise above it all. This story is one of strength, courage, and the incredible ability for this animal to adapt to a situation that it’s not accustomed to. Keep reading to discover the unbelievable tale of a cow that refused to give up!Her farmer had passed away right after she was born. When this happens, all of the animals get sold off to other people. Bonnie was going to be separated from her mom very soon, but she had another plan.
She made it into the safe covering of the forest, and the story of the runaway calf became a myth to local residents. Winter began to set in, and still no one was able to find Bonnie.
But still, Bonnie was able to avoid capture. “Venturing out of the safety of the forest only for occasional sightings, Bonnie quickly became a local celebrity, dividing the Holland community into two groups: those who were ‘Team Bonnie’ and rooted for her to survive, and those who were determined to shoot and eat her,” said the media relations specialist for Farm Sanctuary, Meredith Turner-Smith.
Finally, they realized what the cow had been up to. What they saw completely shocked the entire community.
She had made her home with a herd of deer! “The deer helped Bonnie survive and accepted her as their own — eating, sleeping and running together! Like a deer, this ‘bovine Bambi’ would disappear into the forest whenever people appeared,” said Turner-Smith
Luckily, someone came to Bonnie’s aide: a neighbor by the name of Becky. “A kind neighbor knew the woods were no place for a cow, and helped her survive the winter by trekking through the snow each day, bringing food, water and fresh bedding to her on a sled. And after slowly winning Bonnie’s trust, she called Farm Sanctuary for help,” said Turner-Smith.
Bonnie had been in the woods for eight months and she liked her life just the way it was. But if she were to grow up to be a strong, healthy cow, she would need to leave the woods.
“Since it was too risky to try catching her in the woods, we built a corral around her eating space, patiently waiting to close her in. Bonnie was very wary of our presence, however; she only let Becky touch her, and would run away if anyone else got too close,” said Turner-Smith.
Bonnie was obviously scared of humans after being taken away from her farm family, but she would soon learn to trust them.
Her new home was full of pastures for grazing and playing. And huge barns to a get a comfortable night’s sleep. Bonnie truly was in a sanctuary.
“Bonnie beat the odds. Here, our resilient new friend will spend her life in peace, surrounded by caring humans and a loving herd of her fellow rescued cattle,” said Turner-Smith. We’re so happy you made it out Bonnie! Have a great rest of your life in your very own sanctuary.
