Any animal can be disabled, and unfortunately, it often makes them "unsuitable" candidates for certain farms. Disabled animals are typically sent to slaughter or auctioned off at discounted rates, and their conditions are often not great.
Luckily for one pair of cows, they got out just in time, swept up and taken to a sanctuary they'll be able to live out their days in peacefully. On Tuesday, July 2nd, one of the internet's favorite sanctuaries shared the journey their newest additions, an eyeless cow and her mother, had before landing in their forever home:
@uncleneilshome NEW RESCUE ‼️ Please help us give a warm, UNH welcome to Ruby and her daughter, Lily ❤️🌸We were asked to help Lily, a calf who was born without eyes on a “beef” farm, and bring her to sanctuary. We learned that Lily’s 10-year-old mother, who we named Ruby, was also on the farm and would potentially be sold in the near future. We asked if they’d be willing to allow Ruby to join Lily in sanctuary to keep the two together forever, and we are over the moon to share that they said ‘yes ‘ and we were able to bring both girls to Uncle Neil’s Home where they will live out their lives as mother and daughter. Ruby is extremely protective of Lily, and Lily is never not by her mama’s side. Lily relies on Ruby to show her around and help her navigate the world. Lily is a little adorable spitfire who loves zooming around the pasture and trying to do anything that her mama is doing. If Ruby is drinking, so is Lily. If Ruby is eating hay, Lily is at least trying to eat hay 🥹 They are gentle, sweet, beautiful souls, and have been doing so well since their arrival. We’re taking care of them and making sure they have everything they need, but also letting them have their space to acclimate to their new surroundings, especially because Ruby doesn’t appreciate when anyone else is near Lily, and we are respecting her boundary. We love them to pieces and we are beyond elated for the opportunity to welcome them to UNH. They will both be seeing our vet and getting tested for any communicable illnesses before meeting other cow friends, and then we will assess which pasture they will thrive most in. If you’d like to help us with their future vet bill and sanctuary care: 🐮 Venmo: uncleneilshome 🐮 Paypal: uncleneilshome@gmail.com 🐮 Cashapp: $uncleneilshome 🐮 Website: https://www.uncleneilshome.org/how-to-help/donate/one-time-donation 🐮 FB donate button Thank you so much! Welcome home, girls. We love you!
♬ original sound - Uncle Neil’s Home
If Uncle Neil's Home has no fans, someone come to my house and make sure I'm still alive. I love this sanctuary too much!
Related: Cow Sisters' Emotional Reunion After Briefly Being Apart Is Heartwarming
Lily is still just a baby; she and her 10-year-old mother, Ruby, were living on a meat farm. Apparently, the farm reached out to Uncle Neil's Home to see if they wanted her, and of course, they agreed. They took it one step further, though, and asked to take in Ruby, too. They say they definitely made the right choice: since arriving at UNH, Lilly has hardly left Ruby's side. Being born without eyes means she depends on her mother to guide her around and keep her safe!
Lily is far from the first special-needs animal at UNH, and she's not even the first cow: back in March, the sanctuary went viral when they shared the story of a cow who had a leg growing out of his head ! Manny is still thriving at the sanctuary, and he still receives regular "headicures" for the hoof growing out the top of his head. All this to say, they're well-equipped at handling atypical rescues, which is part of what makes Uncle Neil's Home so special!
What Really Happens to Disabled Cows?
Just like with any animal, disabilities can happen at any time, sometimes with no rhyme or reason whatsoever. In the wild, if an animal is disabled, they're sometimes abandoned ( or eaten ) by their caretakers, which can also occur in captive and domesticated animals, but is less common.
Disabled cows, whether they're born that way, age into it, or have an accident, are typically culled and sent off to be slaughtered. Depending on the disability, the cow may not be considered "fit" for breeding, which would mean they're not suitable as milk cows. In most cases, the cow needs to be inspected by a vet and "approved" for slaughter first; if not approved, they need another plan. Typically, that means finding a sanctuary!
In Lily's case, she was born without eyes, which was most likely the result of a genetic mutation, and she would've been sent to slaughter had UNH declined to take her in and a vet approved it. While it might not be a condition that impacts her ability to breed, it's still not something most farmers would allow to be passed on.
If you ever see a disabled cow on a farm and think they may be headed to the packing plant, you should reach out to a local sanctuary and give them the farm's contact information. They may be able to help, and in Lily and Ruby's case, keep a family together forever!
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