Tinsel and Holly never had a chance. They were born to cows used in the dairy industry, which meant that within a few days, perhaps even just hours, the newborns were ripped from the loving care of their mothers. Frightened and shivering in the bitterly cold December air, the babies were taken to a livestock auction. Without the vital colostrum from their mothers’ milk, the babies quickly became weaker and weaker. Wanting to sell them fast, the workers at the auction prodded them to keep them on their feet. If they were standing, they would fetch a few dollars.
But because they couldn’t receive even a little nourishment from their mothers, Tinsel and Holly couldn’t muster the strength to stand and so they were left to suffer on the floor until the end of the auction day. Witnessing the disregard for the helpless babies, Farm Sanctuary’s Emergency Rescue Team waited with them, and as soon as they could, the team scooped up the fragile calves and brought them to safety. Care for the calves began immediately once they arrived at our New York Shelter. Holly was seriously dehydrated and hypoglycemic. She required fluid therapy and antibiotics. In even worse shape, Tinsel was unable to stand when he arrived and needed antibiotics treatment and fluids too. Once stabilized, both were taken to Cornell University Hospital for Animals to receive plasma to give them the vital antibodies they needed to fight their infections.