10 Neglected Cows Who Were Literally Drowning in Their Own Waste Finally Get a Loving Home

Recently, a supporter of Farm Sanctuary reached out about ten cattle who had fallen victim to cruelty and neglect in Chester County, PA. Sadly, nine calves had died in a barn and the ten remaining cattle were being removed. Time was of the essence to get the remaining cattle to safety.

Considered a “hobby farm” where Ayrshire cattle were used for show, as well as other cattle and horses, the farm owner and his family, had taken the cows to fairs to be paraded in front of judges for prizes.

No one knew how bad the living conditions were for the cows. 

Another victim was a young gelding who was found skeletal, with leg and tendon issues and severely overgrown hooves. He was so tiny that it was assumed he was only a few months old, but the vet confirmed that he was in fact over a year.

The Large Animal Protection Society (LAPS), an all-volunteer organization in Pennsylvania with investigative authority, learned of the cattle and their dismal living conditions through the police, along with another Pennsylvania group, Helping Hands for Animals.

When investigators arrived on the scene, they didn’t find valued prize-winning cattle. Instead, they find 19 bovines in a barn with mud and feces so deep that nine of the calves appeared to have literally drowned in the muck. 

According to Farm Sanctuary, only three of 12 calves survived. One surviving bull calf, a little Holstein whom the farmer had purchased from auction just a few weeks before, was found heartbreakingly, snuggled up to a deceased calf for comfort. 

Once Farm Sanctuary saw the horrific photos, they knew they needed to help these suffering animals find the peace that they so deserved. 

The three calves were covered in so much feces, it looked like they had been dipped in it. 

After a much-needed bath, the calves are finally experiencing true love. Once vetted, these two brother and sister calves will move to their new home at Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue. 

Farm Sanctuary notes that the other cattle in the barn were older and able to withstand the conditions they were forced to live in. The other survivors included a one-year-old bull, two adult female cows, and four one-year-old females. One of the older females is months into a pregnancy. 

The farm owner claims that he doesn’t know how the cattle had been closed inside the barn and thinks that the animals couldn’t have been in the barn for more than three days. Clearly, the animals were trapped for much longer, with 2-3 feet of wet muck and feces throughout the barn. 

The farmer agreed to surrender the 10 cattle, but he was permitted to keep many more animals who were found outside of the barn. Thankfully, charges have been filed against him, including failure to provide veterinary care and failure to provide sanitary conditions to his animals.

Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue took in a total of three cattle, with Farm Sanctuary taking in the remaining six survivors. During their first week at Farm Sanctuary, the cattle were brushed often to get all of the dirt of off them. 

The cattle are slowing learning to trust people again, but thankfully their traumatic past is now behind them.

Now Farm Sanctuary is learning all of their wonderful personalities, while the cattle enjoy the wide open pastures. 

These beautiful, intelligent, curious animals will never be used again for profit. They now have respect, care, and love. Once ready, Farm Sanctuary has adoptive homes lined up for five of them.

Now that these 10 animals are safe, we are confident they will live the rest of their lives with love and care. Just as all animals should live. Please help us educate the public about the thousands of less fortunate animals by sharing this post with your friends and family.

For more information about Farm Sanctuary’s work to end farm abuse, visit their website.

Image Source: Farm Sanctuary/Tumblr