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Photographer: Vardit Goldner 

These Two Beautiful Rescued Dairy Calves Were Not Destined to Live, but Look at Them Now!

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Frank Escaped Slaughter, and Now He’s Finding His Way in the Herd

From the moment Frank arrived, we have been waiting, as has he, for the day he could join the herd. Cattle are herd animals and feel much safer and more secure in a larger group. Frank made it clear that this is all he wanted, as he bellowed when the herd left the barn where he lived in a pen, and bellowed to them again when they returned.

Frank probably lived in a herd before he was shipped off to a live slaughter facility in New York City, and likely was transported with other members of his herd on the day he escaped. Cattle raised in the beef industry live together in large herds — mothers and babies staying together. Of course, that only lasts until the day, 12-14 months later, when those babies (mostly males) are loaded up to be taken to slaughter. (The females that the farmers decide they want to keep in the breeding herd will continue to live with mom.) On the day they leave, most calves are still nursing from mom (and are on solid foods as well).

I have spoken to people with sheep and cattle farms who say the day before they are taking the animals to auction or slaughter, they separate them into two barns and keep the TV loud and the windows closed to drown out the sounds of the mothers and children crying for each other.  

While Frank’s story likely began this way, it took a much happier turn with his escape and rescue. But his happy ending was not quite complete!

Getting Frank into our main herd was what needed to happen, and quickly. Being recently neutered, he could not join the herd for at least three weeks, since during that post-neutering window there was still a possibility that he could impregnate our females, which we do not allow. He also had to heal from the neuter surgery, wounds from his darts, and pneumonia.

Drains in his back end from the surgical removal of the darts. Thankfully, all this is now cleared up!

Cattle introductions can get ugly, so we plan them out way in advance. We do not introduce the cattle to each other in the barn, since it doesn’t give them enough space to get away from each other. One of the ways cattle establish hierarchy is slamming into each other headfirst to show how powerful they are. It’s rare that anyone actually gets hurt — except, of course, for their ego. But inside the barn, they could potentially slam each other into a wall, so we like space during these initial meetings!

Queenie meeting young man Tristan is a good example of the normal reaction to a newcomer entering the established herd.  

Many of our introductions over the past few years have been pretty rough — especially the introduction of the Holstein 6 (Sonny, Orlando, Conrad, Arnold, Milbank, and Tweed), who challenged all the giant males and continued to do so for hours, making for some very frightening battles, with a few of the boys ending up on the opposite side of the fence. Again, no one was hurt, but seeing it can be quite shocking — and humans should not really be in the mix, since the cattle notice no one but the one they are sparring with. 

Although there were a total of three scuffles, Frank had the smoothest introduction I think I have witnessed, and he seemed to want nothing more than to be a part of the herd. He challenged no one and walked away whenever possible — but worked his way into the group. 

Frank leaves the barn to join the herd!

When we first left the barn with Frank, he ran out like he was going to take on the world, but that quickly changed as the introduction went on.

Frank’s first attempt at joining the herd. 

We had his rescuer Tracey and family on FaceTime to watch the introduction, warning her that it could be scary, but it first started out to be exhausting for the humans — since Frank’s cocky start to the run turned into a shy retreat at first. 

Round two, and we think we have it, and oops — he leaves again. Back to the drawing board. 

Finally he gets in and his best pal from the barn, new boy Dennis (who had previously spent hours licking him over the gate and lying beside him), started out the challenges. (You can see the action here.) Dennis is also new and the lowest in the pecking order, so I think he hoped that would change having this tiny guy around.  

Round three…success!

Finally, Frank successfully joined the herd — and as you can see, he didn’t go after anyone or feel the need to fight. This “dangerous,” “fierce” bovine (as he was described during his mad dash from slaughter) ended up being a lover, not a fighter.  

Nik (our “redhead” boy) ensuring that Chandini is cut off before meeting her new lookalike.

And what about Chandini??? Well, Nik, her current beau, was not having that relationship made, and instead he decided to keep his girl away from this handsome newcomer any way he could. 

Please share Frank’s story. Together, we can encourage awareness and understanding for farm animals like him. With your support we can continue to promote compassionate vegan living through rescue, education, and advocacy efforts. A compassionate world begins with you!

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“This is a scene from Animal Place’s rescue of more than 4,000 hens from Turlock"  |  Paula Menetrey