Lovely Betsy Cow is one of the bovine family of four we currently have at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Just like the chimpanzees, each of the cattle have their own very distinct personalities and roles within their group.
Betsy, as the video says, is the quintessential “mom” – much like Jody was for her chimp friends before she passed away.
Betsy is so motherly that she nursed Meredith when Honey had mastitis and she continued to let Nutmeg nurse for years, even after he was twice her size!
Also similar to the chimpanzees, Betsy had a varied past before reaching sanctuary. We know that she was used in the dairy industry for a number of years. We don’t know how many calves she had in total before she was purchased, along with Honey Cow, to be part of a reality television called Utopia where urban folks were brought to a farm in California to learn how to live a rural life. The series didn’t last too long, and when it ended, the producer wanted to send pregnant Betsy and the rest of the family to a sanctuary rather than back to the dairy. So, Farm Sanctuary was contacted, and pregnant Betsy, Honey, and baby Meredith went to their northern California sanctuary.
In 2018, after acquiring some more land, we were contemplating rescuing farmed animals to graze on the greatly expanded pastures. It just so happened that Farm Sanctuary was shutting down their northern California site and looking to place Betsy and her family!
Betsy is someone who I liked right away. Some animals (including humans) take a while to get to know and need a lot of space. Not Betsy. Though she’s she’s very vigilant, she is also curious and is usually the first to approach new people (and lick them, if they will let her).
She’s also the most likely to boldly walk out of her space if there’s a gate open (something Jenna and I both know well now), while the rest of her family watches with more apprehension. She has no hesitation going into the creek to eat the greens there or dunk her face in some mud.
I am so glad that Betsy found her way to us. She has brought me joy since the day she stepped off the trailer.
Thanks goes to her admirers and current Betsy Buddies: Monica, Jackie and (human) Betsy.
You too can help us celebrate all that Betsy embodies by becoming her Bovine Buddy!
The pic of the nose up the camera lense. :rofl::rofl::rofl:
This video — and its star attraction — cheeted me up on a gloomy (President’s) Day. I surmise that Betsy either really enjoys having Diana and J.B. as neighbors or else she feels that they could both benefit from cowlicks.
Betsy may have had a short gig as a star on the reality show Utopia, but now, in retirement, she’s living in a real life Utopia! Life is good!
I have to laugh over her mud facials. What a luxury. And her bond with Nutmeg totally melts my heart. Thanks for giving Betsy a safe, relaxed life with her family, room to run, earth to graze, human friendships, and a group of funny boot and doll carrying chimpanzees to spy on.
Nutmeg is quite the mama’s boy. It really cracks me up to think of Betsy letting him nurse until he was larger than she was. I think she has spoiled that boy. I agree with Kathleen, life is good for those four.
I think in Betsy’s eyes, no matter how big he gets, he’s still just an itty-bitty baby!
You could certainty feel the love between Betsy and her human pals with the up close and personal cowlicks. Gorgeous photos of one fiesty and adorable lady. Yes, life sure is good and thankyou all for giving Betsy a happy and loving forever home.