Tears and cheers for record-breaking adoption journey

After being surrendered to North Coast farm animal adoption agency ‘Til The Cows Come Home 27 cows and their offspring have made the journey to their forever home.

(L-R) Farm foster mum Kirra Smith, Til The Cows Come Home farm animal charity founder and CEO Donna Wild, and rescue team coordinator Phoebe Wisken with the 27 head of cattle bound for their forever home.

A herd of 27 cows have made the journey of a lifetime after being transported to their forever home thanks to the efforts of North Coast farm animal adoption agency ‘Til The Cows Come Home.

Made up of yearlings, calves, and adults, the family of Murray Grey Limousines were transported almost five hours from their temporary foster home at Woodford Island, NSW to a permanent property at Coneac in Northern New South Wales on Tuesday.

The animals were surrendered to ‘Til The Cows Come Home in April after the owner of their previous farm passed away and the surviving human family members were unable to care for them.

After being surrendered to North Coast farm animal adoption agency ‘Til The Cows Come Home 27 cows and their offspring have made the journey to their forever home.

‘Til The Cows Come Home rescue team co-ordinator, Phoebe Wisken has been involved with the adoption process from the beginning and was delighted the family of cows was staying together and bound for a happy future.

She was also on hand to personally support the herd with their big move.

“Thankfully the owners didn’t want to separate the herd or have them sold off to be slaughtered,” Ms Wisken said.

“It required a lot of people, funds, strategy, faith and time to find an adopter for all 27 of them together as a family. It was hard to know who is mum to who. There are calves, yearlings and mums. We didn’t want to separate them because mums can continue to feed their babies for up to three years.”

After being surrendered to North Coast farm animal adoption agency ‘Til The Cows Come Home, the 27 cows and their offspring have made the journey to their forever home.

The cows will now settle on a 100-acre property with a loving family in Coneac, which also hosts an additional 100 acres of homestays through Airbnb.

The adoption has become the largest single cow adoption within Australia and for the charity to date.

“‘Til The Cows Come Home uses a network of volunteers to collect and foster animals, screen potential adopters, and also to provide support at adoption days held at designated pick-up locations,” charity founder, Donna Wild said.

“I understand one else in Australia has adopted out a herd of this size before. To be able to keep the herd together was a priority for us and we’re really grateful ‘Til The Cows Come Home was able to make it happen.”

Anyone wishing to become a foster carer for the charity are invited to contact them through their website: Til The Cows Come Home