Two New Cows Arrive
A few years ago, we led a movement advocating for a cow named Franklin to be released from the local petting zoo. Franklin lived in a small enclosure without sufficient space to graze or move for many years, contributing to chronic arthritis. Improper hoof care also led to musculoskeletal issues for him. After many voices joined ours, Franklin was surrendered, but to an undisclosed sanctuary in the region. This sanctuary contacted us, and we were thrilled to learn that Franklin had found a safe place to call home after years of isolation and separation from any other cows. We continued following Franklin’s journey from afar, celebrating when he was able to roam and socialize. This year, we learned that the sanctuary Franklin was living at had to close their doors. We wanted to ensure Franklin and the friend he bonded with, Ruthie, had a safe place to land: so, we reached out to let them know they were welcome here.
Franklin in 2023 at the petting zoo
The last time we saw Franklin in person, he was still at the petting zoo, and we’d been very worried about his future. It was so different seeing him when we went to pick him up this month, confident and with a friend by his side. The sanctuary owners told us that Franklin initially struggled when trying to socialize with other cows, but eventually he and Ruthie became very close.
Franklin shortly after being surrendered to Squirrelwood Equine Sanctuary
Ruthie was born on a dairy farm but was surrendered to sanctuary when she was just 3 days old because she was too small to be useful to the farm. She wouldn't have been able to produce enough milk for them to profit, so they did not want to keep her. Her small stature is what saved her life. We’ve heard this type of story many times and have residents here with similar stories, who narrowly avoided slaughter due to being too small for profit, including pig resident Marsha. Ruthie joins the company of our fellow dairy cow rescues like Heathcliff, Woody, Juniper, and Colin.
Ruthie when she was initially rescued from dairy farming
We arrived at the sanctuary property and loaded Franklin and Ruthie into our rescue trailer—and fortunately they were comfortable going in together, so we didn’t have to make two trips and cause additional stress to the two of them! Anyone driving behind us on the journey back to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary saw two curious pairs of eyes peering out from the trailer as we traveled. Franklin and Ruthie saw the sights and, before they knew it, we’d arrived at the entrance to Woodstock!
Ruthie and Franklin loading onto our trailer
Franklin and Ruthie took their time exploring their new pasture and stall, locating the water troughs, and finding the best spots to graze. They seemed comfortable right away, despite the brand new surroundings. Slowly, other cows started coming up to the fences and greeting them. We are not sure which group these two will join, but they’re doing really well settling in!
Franklin and Ruthie arrive at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
Franklin will need a lot of specialized care due to his health conditions, and the cost of cow intake is major due to their size and space needs. Your help covers some of the costs of intake for Franklin and Ruthie! Right now, a generous friend of the Sanctuary is MATCHING all donations towards their care, meaning your donation goes twice as far. Help cover Franklin and Ruthie’s intake costs today!