Meet Helen, a blind bison who lives at Oregon’s Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary. She originally came to the sanctuary around 5 years ago, but because to her anxious personality, she struggled to mingle with the other animals. “We attempted to connect Helen with ‘pasture mates’ so she could have a companion when she first arrived here since she was extremely shy and appeared a little lonely,” Gwen from Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary tells My Modern Met. Helen was forced to spend a lot of time alone as a result of this. “We rescued a pregnant dairy cow named Betsy who gave birth to Oliver in the sanctuary about a year later,” Gwen adds.
He went out to Helen’s farm the minute he was old enough to start exploring, and their bond was nearly instantaneous.”
Oliver, the inquisitive Jersey calf, came along and showed Helen the respect and attention she deserved. The unusual pair rapidly became great friends and built a strong relationship. Helen’s maternal instincts came in as well, and she started grooming Oliver. As he grew bigger, the baby calf’s fur began to change color to match her dark brown coat.
Helen’s entire attitude began to alter as their connection became stronger, and she became noticeably happier. Helen and Oliver were together for a year (with Oliver’s mother Betsy nearby) before the calf decided it was time to join the sanctuary’s cow herd. But Helen didn’t go back to being lonely; her encounter with Oliver had given her the confidence to let additional animals into her life. Uma, a recently rescued piglet, began paying Helen visits at that time. The new companions frequently share meals and cuddle up in the hay.
Helen has even agreed to be a foster mother to Italo, a baby calf rescued by the Lighthouse Farm crew a year ago. They spend virtually the whole day together, and she enjoys grooming him. “Watching Helen emerge from her shell has been just fantastic, and we’re just so fortunate to know her,” Gwen adds. She’s the sweetest, most patient, and most loving creature we’ve ever met.”
Helen and her pals can thrive at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary because it provides a safe and caring environment for them. “Our refuge is home to almost 300 nonhuman animals that have witnessed the worst of mankind, and they continue to amaze us every day with their amazing capacity to love and be loved, despite the traumas they have faced,” the team says. “Our purpose is to share their tales with the community and effect good change in society’s perception of them.”
Helen, a blind bison at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary, was lonely until she met Oliver, a baby Jersey calf.
He provided her the love and understanding she deserved, and the lovely couple became inseparable almost immediately.
Helen gained the confidence to make friends with the other animals at the refuge thanks to Oliver.
Helen even agreed to be a foster mother to Italo, another recently rescued calf.
Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary: Website | Facebook | Instagram