ROANOKE, Va. – A calf is fighting for its life with the help of Angels of Assisi and is gaining a lot of attention on social media.
Esther the cow is almost five weeks old and has a long road to recovery.
Dayna Reynolds, the Director of Community Engagement at Angels of Assisi says, “Right now she is just on a very high dose of antibiotics to try to cure that infection, and then she is also on some pain management as well.”
Esther was brought to Angels of Assisi by a family from Tennessee who needed help taking care of her.
“They met us halfway and brought her up to us last week, and our vet saw her immediately and got her on some medicine to see if it would help her out some,” says Reynolds.
When Esther was brought to Harmony Farm Sanctuary, she was having trouble walking. The staff adjusted a dog wheelchair to fit the calf to help her stay mobile.
“It is really important that she keeps moving,” Reynolds says. “Keeps those joints moving because obviously if a cow can’t walk, they get pretty big and their quality of life is just not there. So, we are trying to do some PT with her and that wheelchair is a huge part of it.”
At Harmony Farm Sanctuary, the staff cares for all kinds of animals like pigs, goats, chickens and cows.
Reynolds says, “We have kind of an eclectic mix. Our lovely medical director also sees large animals, so she goes out to the farm and vets them. So, we just try to help all the species of animals we can. They all deserve love and care.”
Reynolds says Esther is a complete sweetheart and she loved to be fed. She has been a total trooper through all of her treatment.
“When she is in her wheelchair she will wag her little tail and she is just awesome,” says Reynolds.
Angels of Assisi says it will keep the public updated on Esther’s progress, but if you would like to help, any donations are greatly appreciated.