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Upon arriving at the Rathbone farm, Farm Sanctuary staff, alongside Finger Lakes SPCA Humane Officer, Scott Mazzo, found the cattle in two dark barns standing on top of nearly six feet of manure, with some tethered inside small wooden stalls. The piles of manure in the barn were so high that the animals' backs were only inches away from touching the ceiling. The ropes tethering some of the cattle by the horns were so short that they could not walk, turn around, or even lift their heads upright. All of the cattle had badly overgrown hooves and one severely confined cow had rubbed up against the wooden post of her tiny stall so many times that a portion of her hipbone was exposed. Elsewhere on the farm, investigators found dead and decomposing animals who had already succumbed to abuse and neglect. Farm Sanctuary staff documented the horrific conditions they discovered at the Rathbone farm and transported the cattle found languishing on the property to the safety of our New York Shelter. Malnourished and suffering from muscle atrophy and dehydration, the cattle arrived at our Emergency Rescue & Rehabilitation Center weak and exhausted. Once they had settled into their clean, straw-filled pens, the cattle happily accepted fresh water and nourishing food from caregivers and received much needed veterinary care, including hoof trimmings, worming medicines, and vaccines. Sunny (the cow whose hipbone was exposed and badly infected) was treated with antibiotics and a topical skin medication. Bradley (the lone bull rescued in this case) had more than 8 inches cut off of his overgrown hooves and he is now walking easier than he has in years. After receiving veterinary care at our New York Shelter, five of the rescued cattle, now named Roshni, Asha, Satya, Salma, and Indira, were transported to their new loving home at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties, New York. The three remaining cattle, Sunny, Bradley, and Sunny's daughter Lilli, will remain at Farm Sanctuary and will join the rest of our cattle in the main herd as soon as they are fully rehabilitated. Charges against the perpetrator in this cruelty case are still pending. Although we don't yet know if the man responsible for causing these precious animals so much suffering will be punished, we are thankful that these lucky souls, at least, will never be hurt or victimized again. They will live the rest of their lives in peace and safety, surrounded by friends who will love them as they deserve to be loved. To help sponsor the care of Bradley, Sunny or Lilli, join our Adopt-a-Farm Animal Project today! UPDATE!
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In
December of 2005, Farm Sanctuary came to the rescue of eight dairy cattle
in Rathbone, New York. 
