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Runaway Holsteins Steer Their Way Toward Farm Sanctuary

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — March 15, 2010 — Two young Holsteins who had been on the lam in eastern Pennsylvania for at least two weeks don’t have anything to run from anymore. The steers, who may have escaped from a veal operation, arrived safely Saturday night at the New York Shelter of Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization.

Though otherwise in good health, the year-old Holsteins, now named Vito and Clancy, are malnourished and exhausted from all the running they did while loose. They certainly had good instincts; most male dairy cattle are slaughtered before reaching their first birthday. Calm and good-natured, these naturally sociable animals have already displayed friendliness to other bovine they have encountered. That they are still a bit timid around humans is understandable, considering the weeks they spent alone fleeing abuse and an early death.

“We are delighted to be able to assist in rehabilitating these spirited steers,” said Farm Sanctuary’s National Shelter Director Susie Coston. “Their will to survive, despite hunger, thirst, and freezing temperatures, is absolutely inspiring. Like humans and all other animals, cattle have a natural desire for freedom from confinement. Many calves raised for veal are chained by the neck in wooden crates so small that they cannot stand or lie down comfortably, much less roam freely. These animals are forced to endure horrific conditions from the day they are born until the day they are killed. I am happy to say that that these two gentle boys will be given the medical attention they require and have a place to grow and thrive unharmed, something millions of cattle in the United States will never have the chance to do.”

The runaway steers were first noticed by a farmer in Lancaster County, Pa., who used grain to coax them into his barn and away from traffic. An officer at the state’s Large Animal Protection Society offered the cattle temporary respite before contacting Coston, who arranged for their safe transport. The pair will receive rehabilitative care at Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter in Watkins Glen until they are strong enough to be placed in a permanent home. Through the Farm Animal Adoption Network, the non-profit is able to find loving homes for farm animals like Vito and Clancy, where they will be able to live out the rest of their natural lives in peace and safety.

If you would like to receive a photo of the rescued steers or speak with Farm Sanctuary’s National Shelter Director Susie Coston, please contact Meredith Turner at 646-369-6212 or mturner@farmsanctuary.org.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.