A brave cow destined for slaughter escaped his cattle ranch, entered a nearby water park, and went down a waterslide! Yes, you read that right.
Now named Tobogã—“slide” in Portuguese—the cow escaped a cattle ranch in Brazil near Rio de Janeiro. The water park caught him on camera after he had managed to climb to the top of a water slide and was slowly making his way down. In the video, Tobogã is seen lowering onto his belly and sliding cautiously down the slide. Luckily the slide, which was made to hold 450 pounds, supported Tobogã’s 700-pound body!
After Tobogã’s adventure, the ranch owner decided to spare the cow’s life. Sadly, countless other cows around the world are not so lucky.
In June of this year, 40 cows fled a slaughterhouse in Pico Rivera, California, after a gate was left open. Footage shows some of the cows huddled together in a cul de sac, cornered by law enforcement. All the cows were rounded up and returned to the meat-packing plant—except for one. The lone free cow evaded capture for another day and a half before being lassoed. Fortunately, the city of Pico Rivera was able to buy the cow and secure her freedom.
1 of the 40 cows who escaped an LA slaughterhouse was released to live her life at our Acton Sanctuary—& we were thrilled to welcome her home yesterday!
We're allowing her space to settle in & rest after everything she's been through. Name & updates coming soon! pic.twitter.com/vnmVwbeD6s
— Farm Sanctuary (@FarmSanctuary) June 27, 2021
Songwriter and Mercy For Animals friend Diane Warren assisted the city in finding a sanctuary that would take in the cow:
Seeing these cows escaping their horrible fate broke my heart. They knew what awaited them. These are smart, empathetic, beautiful souls. What Paul McCartney said is so true: If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.
All cows have unique, beautiful personalities, and all cows want to live. They form deep emotional attachments to one another and sleep close to their families. Cows also have fantastic memories and can learn and respond to their names—just like dogs and cats!
You can make a difference for cows simply by leaving them off your plate. Download our FREE veg starter guide to learn how.
