[Ed. Note: Also read Wishing Well. And read about Buddha's Twelfth Birthday in 2011 and read My Time with Buddha.]
From The Gentle Barn Foundation, May 2010
Buddha was part of a miniature cow breeding program in Washington. Life
was pretty great until they found out she could not get pregnant and earn
her keep. They were going to send her to slaughter when we just happened to
call them at the right time. We had her shipped to California to live at The
Gentle Barn, to be appreciated for her kind soul instead of the alternative.
Buddha is our therapy cow here at the barn. When we have disabled kids
(or any kid or adult for that matter) come to visit, they gather around
Buddha in their wheel chairs and hug her and pet her while Buddha holds
completely still until they are done. She is wise, gentle, and like her
name, truly an enlightened being.
One day we rescued a big brown pig with floppy ears who smelled like
molasses and had escaped from a slaughterhouse in Downey, CA. The pig, who
we named "Susie Q," was depressed and laid in the yard not wanting to eat or
play. At nightfall all the other animals went to the warm barn to sleep for
the night, all except for Susie Q. When Buddha saw that the pig was all
alone, instead of sleeping in her soft, straw bed, Buddha lay down next to
Susie Q for 6 days until the pig felt better. Together they both got up and
Buddha showed her new friend where the food, water and bed were and they
remained best friends from that point on. They always ate, played and slept
together until Susie Q passed away of old age two years ago.
Over the last ten years, Buddha has taught thousands of children/people
about the importance of empathy. We are doing everything in our power to
ensure she will be here for years to come. Buddha receives injections to
rebuild cartilage in her knees, deep tissue massage therapy to ease her sore
muscles, and special food to boost her immune system.
Buddha has given her life to the care of others. She is a true ambassador of what The Gentle Barn stands for. Please join us in celebrating her birthday and her life's work.
| 