Rescue & Adoptions

In Loving Memory

Phoebe

Many years ago, our New York Shelter rescued 22 cows and one calf from a dairy operation that was keeping the animals in a filthy warehouse without adequate food, water or basic care. For years, the animals were forced to live in misery - their only joy was a brief hour or two of happiness each cow was allowed with her newborn - a happiness that turned to agonizing sorrow when the baby was torn from her side. This was the nightmare that Phoebe and the other cows lived, year after year, until they were brought to our New York Shelter.

Phoebe, who had a chronic leg problem, lived in the sheep barn with a few of our other special needs cows for several years, because she couldn't be with the other cattle. Like other animals, cows are loving mothers who care and protect their young with great devotion. Phoebe was such a loving, maternal cow - only her son was a sheep, named David. David came to our shelter as a very old and sick sheep. Phoebe decided this special needs sheep needed a mom, and she was going to be it.

David received months of daily treatments and rehabilitative care - and Phoebe watched over each day of treatments, guarding David protectively and mooing softly to comfort him. Since Phoebe is a 1,600-pound mother, we often had to remove David to another stall to give him his medications, or we would be knocked over by the worried mom as she stood next to us, making sure we weren't hurting her son. Once she even busted two gate latches trying to get to David. If David wandered too far out of her sight when they were grazing in the pastures together, Phoebe would cry out loudly, and David would quickly return to his mother's side. At night, the two would snuggle into a thick bed of straw, lying side by side as they slept.

All the treatments in the world couldn't prevent old age though, and one night, David died peacefully in his sleep. Caregivers found him in the morning - and Phoebe was standing over him, licking him over and over, gently nudging him. She was trying to get David to stand. We let them be together as long as we could, but then we had to bury David. Phoebe didn't want us to take him, and she still kept nudging him to get up as we carried him away.

Taking David away from his adopted mother was one of the worst experiences we've ever had - and having to say goodbye to Phoebe was equally heartbreaking. Despite numerous treatments and surgeries, Phoebe's leg condition became so severe that she could no longer stand. She was euthanized on the farm surrounded by loving caregivers. We are left with wonderful memories of the peaceful and loving times Phoebe had here roaming the rolling Northern California hills with her beloved David.