SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. — A cow named Mootilda escaped from a slaughterhouse in Arizona, capturing the hearts of the community and earning a second chance at life.
Mootilda’s daring escape was caught on social media, where a video showed her galloping down the street, frightened but determined, CNN affiliate KNXV reported. The video quickly went viral, prompting Aimee Takaha, founder of Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary, to intervene and offer Mootilda a safe haven.
“I saw a video clip of an extraordinary cow that was scared out of her wits and running down the street,” Takaha said.
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“Just the video alone was enough to break my heart, and I knew I got to help her,” said Nancy Stipp, one of the donors who contributed to saving Mootilda.
“That was a no-brainer for me, when I saw that cow escape slaughter, come on, running trying to be free, that cow had a will to live,” said Susan Lombardi, another donor.
Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary is a four-acre property dedicated to giving barn animals a second chance, particularly those born with differences or disabilities.
“I take a lot that are born different, maybe missing a limb and they need a prosthetic, or maybe that have some kind of deformity and aren’t wanted. Here their differences are celebrated,” Takaha explained.
The sanctuary is home to a variety of animals, including blind goats and hens that no longer lay eggs, each with their own story of survival. When Takaha saw the video of Mootilda, she knew she had to act quickly to save her.
To secure Mootilda’s freedom, Takaha needed to raise $2,500 within 24 hours.
She turned to her online community for help, and more than 60 donors responded, raising the necessary funds in just 12 hours.
“I said, ‘I have the funds. Don’t you dare slaughter her tomorrow. You bring her here,’” Takaha recalled, ensuring Mootilda’s safe transfer to the sanctuary.
Today, Mootilda is no longer a frightened fugitive but a frolicking favorite at the sanctuary, where she is affectionately known as the community cow. “We made it happen, we saved a life, she’s not my cow, she’s our cow, she’s the community cow,” Takaha said.
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