Time and time again animals have shown that they exhibit empathy and other emotions that humans do. They feel more than we think they do, and watching how they build relationships with other species will hopefully serve as inspiration for us humans to make better relationships with others.

One family witnessed something strange but remarkable. Their dog formed a close bond with a cow who acted like a mother towards the puppy. Their bond was tested when the cow was to be sold off.

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Rookie was a small, energetic pup. He loved to run around and play. He loved his humans, but his favorite companion was a large, brown cow. This cow is like Rookie’s “mother.” She licks Rookie’s burgundy coat and nuzzles him. Sometimes, Rookie would even sit or sleep on her back.

They were close friends, drinking water together and sleeping together. They were really good friends, and nothing could keep them apart–until the time came for the cow to be sold off. The owner had decided it was time since he couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the two cows he currently owned. The cow was taken from the enclosure that Rookie frequented.

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When the cow was taken, Rookie was beside himself with grief. He howled and barked, and you could see the despair in his eyes. He was truly lost and miserable. He stepped over the threshold and howled, hoping to get his cow mother back to him.

But then, he heard his mother moo-ing, and Rookie booked it. He ran down the street, his owner calling his name. But he paid no attention. The only thing he focused on was his cow mother’s cry. He followed the voice until he got to where she was, tied up in another stall.

He jumped for joy, licking and pawing at the cow’s face. Rookie’s owner then followed and carried the puppy in his arms. He scolded him for running off and carried him back home, separating him from the cow. All the way there, Rookie was yipping and barking in anguish. He didn’t want to be separated from the cow that raised him and showed him love, treated him like her own.

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Back home, Rookie lost all his enthusiasm and energy. Even with a bowl of his favorite dog food, Rookie could not be swayed. He lost all appetite, and his owner was worried that he would waste away. Rookie wandered around the area where his mother used to be, sad and lonely…until there was a moo-ing sound that could be heard at the door!

His cow mother had returned! Rookie’s owner decided to keep her for the puppy’s sake. He couldn’t fathom the dog being so sad, despite the fact that the cow was expensive for the family financially. He also decided to get Rookie a friend, another small dog, so that Rookie would retain his social and survival skills as a dog.

The bond between Rookie and the cow is a testament to the fact that animals feel sorrow and love much like we do.

Source: SHARETAP