Read Eddie's Story ^{(In Memoriam)}

Eddie was born at a beef farm, rounded up and taken from his mom when he was only a year old and sent to a slaughterhouse in Missouri along with five other cows. The cows wanted to live and crashed through three fences to escape and run through the streets of St Louis desperately seeking refuge. Sadly by the end of the day, they were caught and sent back to the slaughterhouse, but by that time the community demanded that they be spared. Thanks to a group of community members who raised their freedom money, and to the meat packing company owner who agreed to allow us to have them, we brought the cows, affectionately dubbed "The St Louis Six" to the safety of Gentle Barn. With time, patience, and consistency, Eddie and his brothers forgave the past, learned to trust humans, happily grazed in their pastures, rested in their barn, and became remarkable ambassadors to humans who learned about the intelligence, affection, and magic of cows, as well as healed from their own traumas in our cow hug therapy programs.

Cows are genetically engineered to grow very big, very fast, so they can be slaughtered as babies. When we save them from slaughter and they are full grown at five, they end up abnormally huge which shortens their lifespans and causes increased risk of injury and immobility. Cows are meant to weigh 800 pounds, and instead, Eddie was almost two thousand pounds. Innocent play and comradery can become life-threatening when a cow is that big. Sadly Eddie injured his spine while innocently playing with his brothers one day, and would never walk again. Left with no other options, our veterinarian helped Eddie out of his body while we thanked Eddie for the privilege of knowing him, and praised him for being so resilient, brave, loving, and kind. May we all awaken to love soon, adopt plant-based diets, and allow cows to live normal, happy, long, loved lives!