Incredible Survivor
This famous “cow of the woods”, Bonnie, was on the run for nearly a year before coming to Farm Sanctuary. When the owner of the farm she was living on passed away, his family decided to sell the herd for slaughter. Bonnie, watching in fear as her loved ones bellowed and resisted being loaded onto the trailer, seized the moment and bolted into the nearby woods.
Over the next few months, Bonnie became a local celebrity. Hunters started picking her up on their wildlife cameras and people were amazed by what they saw: Bonnie had found solace with a herd of deer. They ate, slept, and ran together and the deer accepted her as their own. Since cattle are herd animals—and Bonnie had lost her original herd—this support system helped her survive.
During this time, Bonnie had a kind human neighbor named Becky who began bringing the cow food and fresh bedding each day. Becky knew that Bonnie would eventually need additional care and contacted the New York Sanctuary to help. It took multiple trips and lots of trial and error but eventually, the New York Sanctuary welcomed this extraordinary cow. Bonnie is one incredible survivor.