the ULTIMATE stray

[zippy-kat]

As fellow animal lovers, I'm sure you can relate to the moral delimma of of picking up/taking home a stray. I've picked up and either kept or found the original home or rehomed numerous animals. I can't help it. A scruffy dog or homely cat just pulls at my heartstrings to no-end! And then of course, if the animal is black or black/white... I'm a complete heart-over-head-over-heels nutcase! However today, may be the first (and hopefully last) day in history that I didn't attempt to rescue a stray....

November 5, 2002.
A brilliantly crisp, surprisingly chilly autumn day. No place to go, no one to see, nothing particular that needed accomplished... I grabbed my keys, slammed the door, and went for a short drive. Headed north on a busier street (that eventually leads out to the country), I spy THE STRAY.

Of course I noticed it-- it's black and white (and definitely not your typical 'stray' material)--but am I really sure I saw that? A look in the rearview mirror confirms the obvious. "How can...?" I don't know! "Where did...?" I don't know that either but... "Oh My Goodness! WHAT am *I* going to do? I can't leave it there...."

I turn the corner and (eventually) find myself face to face with.... *drumroll please*....... a more-than-half grown Holstein busily munching on someone's lawn.

I *paws* to mention, I know NOTHING about cows except they give milk and like to kick. (And I'm only *really* sure about the latter... I've never actually seen a cow give milk, for all I know milk magically appears on the aisle at the grocery store! :rolleyes: )

Uhhh.... "Bessie" looked pretty happy, so I left during the middle of her outstanding "lawn mower imitation" preformance to head back home and telephone the police/animal control.

I couldn't help but wonder.... can you imagine the look on Mom's/Dad's face if I would've managed to get it home?! :eek: I mean, I've brought home some pretty unusual strays but that one.... that one would've TAKEN THE CAKE!

[Uabassoon]

LOL I could just picture you trying to put "Bessie" in your car. I had something like that happen once. I was in Texas visiting friends and family. I'd gone out dancing with a few friends, I pull up to my driveway at around 3 or 4 in the morning, it was pretty late. And I find a horse in the yard eating our lawn!! He had a halter and a rope attatched and was dragging a tree branch. I guess he broke the branch he was tied to then decided to take a walk. I wasn't really sure what to do, I was a little scared to wake up my dad because then he'd know what time I got home (even though I am 21 when i go home I'm still the baby and they don't like me to stay out late). So I woke him up anyways, it turned out to belong to a guy who lived down the road. So my poor dad at a very late (or early) hour has to walk to horse down the street to return it.

[Cookiebaker]

Originally posted by Uabassoon
LOL I could just picture you trying to put "Bessie" in your car.

:eek: :eek: :eek: Zippy do you live in the country or city??

I was also imagining what your fur-kids would have to say to you if you brought a cow home to dinner. :D

[zippy-kat]

Originally posted by Uabassoon
I was a little scared to wake up my dad because then he'd know what time I got home (even though I am 21 when i go home I'm still the baby and they don't like me to stay out late).

Don't you HATE that?! I can sympathize!!! ;)



Originally posted by Cookiebaker
:eek: :eek: :eek: Zippy do you live in the country or city??
City--- the closest "cow home" I know of is a dairy approx. 15-20 miles outside the city limits!!

[moosmom]

ROFLMAO at 3 a.m.!!! I have only one comment and that is...

MOO!!

Great story!!

[anna_66]

Oh Tonya, that was a great story. I was wondering where you were going with ithttp://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/otn/laughing/1grlaugh2.gif

[Karen]

Hee hee hee!

Hope she found her way back home ....

[gini]

Gosh, Zippy, why couldn't you just keep her in your room?:D :D

[ramanth]

LOL!!!!

You mean you didn't try to tip her over? ;)

I'm kidding!


I've had a few run ins with stray cows and horses, but growing up in the country, it wasn't all that odd. Just fun to help round them up and help get them home. :D

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

I sure do hope she finds her way home :) Your post made me smile.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I hear they make great pets PLUS you can sell the lawn mower AND have a renewable source of garden fertilizer!

You've talked of wanting a tuxedo!?!?!?!?!?

[luckies4me]

I was wondering why you wouldn't take it home! That is just too funny. If it was me, I probably would have tied it to th back of my car and walked it down the street til I got home, lol. Just the way I am I guess.

Plus, if the only cow home is a diary, I think it would be better with me, hehe.

Cute story.;)

[NoahsMommy]

But MOM!!! She followed me home!!!

[sammi]

That is a good story this morning! If you could have got "Bessy" home you might have needed to milk her. Do you take your coffee with cream???????:D

[zippy-kat]

I'm almost certain she's found her way home.... the PD keeps a list of all dairy/cow owners.... hopefully she was microchipped (can you microchip a cow?) or branded or something!

(psstt sammi... regarding the milk... I'm allergic... non-dairy creamer only please!;) )

[Vermontcat]

Around here the cows usually have an ear-tag like an earring with their ID number on it. Your story reminded me of the time this summer when I was driving by one of the many dairy farms I pass on the way to my daughter's riding lesson and I saw a cow running down the road with the old farmer chasing her!:)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Great story, Tonya. I, too, was wondering where you were going with the story. I couldn't imagine that if it were a cat or dog that you would have left it, so I was wondering what kind of stray would not have the luxury of having you rescue it. ;) :D

I like Kelly's response:
But MOM!!! She followed me home!!!

:D :D

[jenluckenbach]

The one small detail that seems to have gotten by everyone is that she mistook a COW for a cat. :D

[aly]

Oh my gosh, that happened to me before a few times!

Once, there was a cow on the side of the HIGHWAY and I was freaking out. No one else was stopping to help. I pulled over and jumped out of my car with my cell phone. I called the police non-emergency number and told them about the cow. They actually asked me if I could get the COW into my CAR!!!!!! I had to keep trying to steer the cow away from the road so he didn't get hurt or cause some major accidents. I waited for 45 minutes and the police never showed up so I called animal control. Finally another 30 minutes later, the owner showed up! PHEW!

[anna_66]

Originally posted by aly
They actually asked me if I could get the COW into my CAR!!!!!!
What people won't ask:rolleyes:

[ramanth]

Originally posted by aly
They actually asked me if I could get the COW into my CAR!!!!!!

This reminds me SO MUCH of the Simpson's episode where Homer brings home a retired race horse for Lisa and crams him into the backseat. LOL! :D

Oh how I've been tempted many times..... ;)

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
The one small detail that seems to have gotten by everyone is that she mistook a COW for a cat. :D
LOL! I mistook a deer for a dog once. It was early in the morning and there was a vets office a few blocks down the street. I saw this 'large' dog running down my street toward me from that area and thought a dog was making a break for it. When it ran by me, I discoved it was a deer. It went off across the street and into the bushes. I live in the middle of town and boy, was I surprised?

Zippy, you go bringing cows home and your parents may ban any rescues you bring home or else put a height requirement on them.:D

[luckies4me]

I will now go make myself a large cup of coffee. :p

[Crikit]

That would have been a hard stray to feed don't ya, and how would you have explained that to your parents. "Uh geeze mom, dad, she followed me home really....can I keep her?"

[AmberLee]

I was almost positive you were going to admit to being tempted to bring home a stray

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SKUNK!!! :eek: :rolleyes: :cool: :eek: Great story!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by zippy-kat
"I'm almost certain she's found her way home...."

Hey Zipp ~
Dad sez Don't bet on it! :rolleyes:

He an da udder Fire Guyz do a least wun Kow Rescue or RoundUp ebery year...

Da Kowz got a switch onna side marked BRAINz ~
Whenebber dey wandur thru da fence an take a Stroll, dey alluz *bump* da BRAINz switch frum ON ta OFF...

Kowz wiff no Brainz wandur...
~Cross da road...
~Thru da howze yardz...
~Thru da gardenz...
~Back across da road...
~Thru da Hey Fieldz...
~Thru da Korn Fieldz...
~Back across da road...

An dey NEBBER member to wear their Steerin Wheels (halter) when dey go...

Half a Mile later they startz *BAWLIN* kuz dey'z losted an wanna go home... Takez three Fire Guyz pur Kow - one holdin a ropey made into a Steerin Wheel an pullin; an two onna Tail End pushin ~
Ta stumbul their way back to da barn! An a course Bossey da Kow gotta *stop* ebery 10 feetz ta grab a klump a grass to tide her ober till she GETz home... :mad:

Dad sez next wun'z gonna become :eek: burgerz 'n steaks!

:rolleyes: :D