Starving Calves Getting A Second Chance At Life
GRASS VALLEY (CBS13) -- Small calves found starving and abused in Santa Cruz are now on the road to recovery.
The calves are savoring every drop after they were rescued from what could have been a very painful death.
"Lynus should have another 30-40 pounds on him…shouldn't see his ribs or hips really malnourished," said Marji Beach, Education Director of the Animal Place.
Lynus is just two weeks old and Douglas is two months old. They were found with three other male calves cramped and starving to death in a pen in Santa Cruz. A neighbor called animal control officers who got the abused animals out of the filthy farm.
"They're considered trash of the dairy industry," said Kim Sturla, a co-founder of the Animal Place. "Thousands and thousands of dairy cows have no value were just discarded."
The people at Animal Place, a sanctuary in Grass Valley, say male calves are often sold at auction for as low as $3-$5 and later slaughtered and sold as cheap meat.
Many malnourished calves are brought to the Animal Place. It's one of the largest farm animal sanctuaries in the country where the animals can live out another 18 to 20 years instead of being sent to slaughter.
"We're really a safe haven for the most exploited animals on earth," said Marji.
"I wish we could save them all," said Kim.
As for the farmer who had purchased these calves, the Animal Place tells us he was not charged for animal cruelty because he surrendered them.
Despite his good appetite, it's not clear whether Lynus will make it. Douglas seems to be doing just fine.
The Animal Place counts only on donations to care for the animals. Right now they're housing about 200 rescued farm animals.
