Named after Alcatraz escapee Frank Lee Morris, Frank made a daring escape of his own.

On April 1, 2016, Frank fled from a transport truck readying to unload him at a live market in Queens, New York. City goers found him grazing at a nearby college field, initially believing he was placed there as a prank. But Frank’s circumstances were no laughing matter: He was afraid and raced through the streets to avoid recapture and the sights, smells, and sounds of slaughter.

By the time authorities got ahold of Frank, his story had made national news — and his many fans, moved by Frank’s will to live, pleaded that he be spared from death. Frank was released into our care, and we brought him home to our Watkins Glen, New York sanctuary.

While skittish and aloof at first, Frank has blossomed into a playful and respected leader of his herd. He loves romping through the fields with his friends and occasionally likes being brushed by humans. All interactions with Frank are on his terms — and here, he’s free to a life of his choosing.