Cow Escapes Slaughterhouse and Survives Winter in the Woods by Befriending a Deer Family

During the summer of 2017 in upstate New York, a herd of cows was ready to be taken for slaughter after the farm's owner died. In this herd was a calf named Bonnie. Unlike other cows who believed themselves to be powerless, Bonnie was fearless and daring. She refused to give up her destiny in the hands of a merciless butcher. While the slaughter was busy hauling the yelling cattle into the truck, she quietly slipped aside and then eloped away, running hard for her life, per The Dodo. She galloped her way to freedom, not looking back.

Bonnie’s sudden disappearance had sparked quite a gossip in the surrounding areas. Among locals, she had become an odd celebrity and was often referred to, by the name “babe in the woods.” Months passed. It was the time in Holland when the breeze was getting chilly and soft flakes of snow gently settled on the barks of trees, rooftops, and blades of dewy green grasses. But there still was no sign of the young runaway babe. People, however, were certain that she was alive. The reason was wildlife cameras. Hunters in this territory had set up many such cameras throughout the forest.

From time to time, the footage of these cameras revealed silhouettes of Bonnie plodding and mooing in the wild. But no one was able to catch her yet. People were divided on what should be done with this rebellious cow. There were two kinds of people – one who supported Bonnie’s survival and the other who ferociously sought her meat. "Both groups searched for her in the woods — which stayed buried under 3 feet of snow all winter — but aside from quick glimpses, the 'babe in the woods' remained hidden. That is until hunters started picking her up on wildlife cameras," Meredith Turner-Smith, media relations specialist for Farm Sanctuary, told The Dodo.

Bonnie was having the best time of her life in the woods. Initially, after escaping, she wandered into the forest, feeling glum and missing her mom, who was a part of the herd in the slaughterhouse. But then, a miracle unfolded. She came across a family of wild deer. The deer were not only hospitable to help her, but so loving as to adopt her in their family as one of their own. She lived with them, roamed with them, ate with them, and slept with them.

"Since she had lost her first family (and cattle are herd animals), the deer helped Bonnie survive and accepted her as their own — eating, sleeping and running together!" Turner-Smith said. When residents figured out the entire story, they were dumbfounded. And even though Bonnie’s fairy tale triggered goosebumps in their flesh, they were aware that the cow wouldn’t be able to survive harsh winters for too long. But getting close to Bonnie wasn't easy. In such a situation, a local woman named Becky stepped forward to do all that she could to help Bonnie survive winter by bringing food, water, and fresh bedding to the calf on a sled.

Becky then alerted the Farm Sanctuary officials who were able to accomplish the task of rescuing the calf. After spending eight long months in the jungle, Bonnie finally agreed to return to the safety of the sanctuary. Leaving her deer family behind, Bonnie started a new chapter of her life. She stepped into the luxury of the sanctuary where she had vast pastures and cozy barns to roam and relax. Beating all odds, Bonnie survived and thrived. Now, this runaway babe’s story is an inspiring tearjerker telling us to never give up and never settle on anything less than freedom.