Cows
About Cows
Cows are gentle giants and are as diverse in personality as cats, dogs, and humans! They display a full range of traits including boldness, shyness, sociability, and being temperamental. They are gregarious, preferring to spend their time with other cows, and they form complex relationships, much like dogs in packs. Animal behaviorists have found that cows interact in socially complex ways, developing friendships over time and sometimes holding grudges against other cows who treat them badly!
A cruel reality… In the U.S., more than 29 million cows suffer and die in the meat and dairy industries every year. Cows are clever and have been known to go to extraordinary lengths to escape from slaughterhouses. They mourn the deaths of and even separation from those they love, sometimes shedding tears over their loss. The mother/calf bond is particularly strong, and there are countless reports of mother cows who continue to call and search frantically for their babies after the calves have been taken away and sold to veal or beef farms.
If you would like to help support one of our precious farm animals or give a unique gift to the animal lover in your life, consider Sponsorship! You can make a difference! It’s easy! Just click one of the options below and know that you are truly changing lives.
You will receive a certificate that includes a photo of your sponsored animal and their inspiring story! The certificate is customizable for gift giving purposes! Sponsorship certificates show your respect and compassion for farmed animals everywhere.
One-Time Monthly
Cole
Safe Haven experienced a huge surprise on June 23rd 2022 when one of our rescued cows, Flo, gave birth to a beautiful, bouncing baby boy! Introducing Cole! We welcomed his mother Flo to our sanctuary in February when she was rescued from a dairy farm where she sustained a serious foot injury and was considered no longer of use. Little did we know, she was pregnant! Seeing Cole with his mama Flo is a delight, and Flo is now an ambassador for all cows that never get the opportunity to raise their babies.
Ebb
Ebb was a dairy cow until she arrived at Safe Haven in November 2021. Until then, Ebb had spent her life on a dairy farm. She was routinely artificially inseminated, gave birth to a baby, then had that baby taken from her after giving birth so she could produce milk for human animals to consume.
Thankfully, someone reached out to us on Ebb’s behalf and we began preparations to welcome her to her new home. She is enjoying the freedom of choosing when to rest, when to explore, when to eat and when to snuggle up with her new cow family.
Ebb is very gentle and vocal and she is always looking for attention. She loves the daily treat we give her. She has a good big sister in Surprise who always gives her space to eat hay.
Flo
Flo was living on a dairy farm where she sustained an injury to her foot which resulted in a severe limp. This physical challenge meant that Florence would no longer be impregnated and having no babies meant she could no longer produce milk. To the dairy industry, Flo served no purpose and had no value. She was considered a liability and was scheduled for slaughter. We are grateful we can provide this sweet, gentle girl with her forever home. Click here to watch Florence’s arrival in February 2022 and the warm, friendly welcome she received from her new family – cows and humans alike.
Flo required several vet visits to address her foot. The vet sanded and scraped the layers of dirt and debris off the bottom of her hoof as well as a few small pebbles that were embedded in her foot. As he continued the process, he uncovered a serious hoof abscess. He packed the whole area with cotton covered with zinc sulfate to help draw out the infection and then glued a wood piece to the bottom of her good claw (the vet term for each of the two parts of a cow’s hoof) so she could walk without pressure on the infected foot. Flo was grossly underweight when she arrived and we provided her with extra grain and hay to ensure that she gets to a healthy weight.
In June of 2022, we had a huge surprise when Flo gave birth to Cole! Unbeknownst to us, she was pregnant when she arrived at our sanctuary. Flo is curious, people-friendly, and quite caring towards all of the babies who are now members of our sanctuary family. She is an ambassador for all cows who never get to raise their babies, nurture them and experience the precious bond between mother and child.
Luke
This precious calf was born on August 19, 2021 on a dairy farm in Vermont. Luke is a Jersey calf which is a breed of dairy cattle raised primarily for milk production. He was torn from his mother moments after birth and was destined for slaughter. This is the cruel reality of the dairy industry. Male calves serve no economic purpose to dairy farmers. A young intern working at the dairy farm experienced the treatment of calves for the first time. She desperately wanted to save this baby. She sent emails to as many places as possible trying to find him a home where he could live a happy peaceful life.
Luke was just a couple of weeks old when he arrived at Safe Haven. We are grateful Luke found a safe place to land at our sanctuary. Our staff welcomed him with open arms and an abundance of love. It is our privilege to provide him with a lifelong home and surround him with the care and respect he deserves. He is a very spunky fellow and is thoroughly enjoying his freedom. He gleefully runs around his pasture! Luke is incredibly friendly and always intrigued by what his human friends are doing! He has developed a deep bond with another rescued calf at Safe Haven named Romeo. They enjoy their days happily exploring and playing together. In the evening, they are cuddle buddies and sleep peacefully knowing they are by each other’s side.
Romeo
Romeo has faced some significant adversity in his young life. He was born 4 weeks premature and was too small to nurse and too weak to stand. He was tube fed with love and received medical care from a compassionate person intent on saving as many bull calves as possible. Having an underdeveloped immune system, Romeo also suffered a chronic umbilical cord infection. When he was well enough to travel, his temporary caretaker brought him to Safe Haven. When Romeo arrived at the sanctuary in September of 2021, he weighed just 50 pounds. He is in a safe place and receiving all the medical treatment and nutrition he needs to recover. The sweet heart shape on his forehead makes us melt every time we see this precious fella. He is surrounded by mega doses of love and affection from our dedicated staff.
Click here to see Luke and Romeo enjoying life.
Click here to see cows joining the herd at Safe Haven.
Owen & Matteo
In late summer of 2020, Safe Haven was contacted by a compassionate individual about two calves born on a dairy farm in need of rescue. Male calves born on dairy farms are torn from their mothers on the first day of life and almost immediately sent to slaughter. Not being able to produce milk, they are called “waste product” and viewed as having no value. Like animals of all species, cows form strong maternal bonds with their calves, and on dairy farms, mother cows can be heard frantically crying out for their calves for several days after they have been separated.
We can’t rescue them all but we had the privilege of helping these two calves – the first cows to call Safe Haven home!
We welcomed Owen (left) and Matteo (right) to our sanctuary in September. They are safe and sound and feeling the love every day from our devoted staff.
Ethel & Surprise
In October of 2020, we brought Ethel and her daughter Surprise home to Safe Haven. Tragically, a man who had been caring for these two cows recently passed away after a terminal illness. His wife could not keep up with his care, their cows’ care and the staggering mountain of medical bills from a flawed medical system. She had to make the heartbreaking decision to sell their land and rehome their beloved cows.
Ethel (right) and Surprise (left) are 18 and 11 years old respectively, and are fiercely bonded. Surprise can often be seen licking her mother’s face with affection and adoration.