MORNINGTON Peninsula residents are being asked to open their hearts and provide a forever home to the unwanted calves of the dairy industry.
The ’Til The Cows Come Home charity is looking for adopters who can take on two calves to raise as pets, never to end up on the dinner table.
Operations manager Rachele Clarke says every year millions of unwanted farmed animals suffer an unimaginable fate.
“These animals are the forgotten ones, they often endure terrible lives before they come to us, but we feed them up, get them healthy and try to find caring homes for them,” she said.
“Calves are such beautiful, sentient animals that really bond with humans, but most of all they will give their owners love and bring them joy and friendship.”
Moorooduc adopter Sarah Rollinson can attest to that. The hobby farm owner has fostered dozens of calves that needed immediate care before finding their permanent homes and has adopted three calves and two adult cows.
“Some of the calves come to us on death’s door, so you develop a bond with them after looking after them and they bond with you as well,” she said.
“My three little calf boys are now a group of friends who I call the Three Amigos, and they are adorable.
“It’s incredibly rewarding experience to work with calves, and cows are now my favourite animal … I call them my grass puppies. Each one has its own personality, but they are all loving and give so much.”
Ms Clarke said the charity‘s volunteers daily see the sad reality of farm “waste” and animal neglect.
“They see first-hand how the focus on profits results in animals being treated as objects, when it is proven that animals feel pain, love, and sadness,” she said.
Ms Clarke said the charity currently had a number of calves surrendered from local dairy farms who needed forever homes.
At time, there are up to 60 calves in foster care in Victoria alone.
“We urgently need to get these calves adopted so we have room to save more calves being born on dairy farms every week,” she said.
To adopt a calf, email info@tilthecowscomehome.org to express interest.
For information on the charity, go to tilthecowscomehome.org/why-we-have-so-many-calves-coming-into-our-care/
