What happens when cows get to choose their companions? For 40 years, Farm Sanctuary caregivers have witnessed these connections. Now, you can help us study them.
Research shows that cows form strong, lasting bonds, but we’re only beginning to understand how. At Farm Sanctuary, we’ve spent four decades seeing these remarkable relationships firsthand. Now, we’re inviting you to help us document them scientifically.
No experience required. Just curiosity, and a love for animals.
Most research on cow behavior happens within the agricultural industry, where cows are usually studied in highly controlled, often stressful environments. Farm Sanctuary is different.
Here, rescued cows live with greater freedom and autonomy. Cow herds are mixed across breed, age, and size, and each animal gets to choose who they spend time with and why. We believe that the relationships that emerge are unlike anything captured in conventional research to date.
With your help, we have the opportunity to study these bonds rigorously.
This project runs in two phases. We invite you to join either, or both:
Phase 1 – June 2026: Spot the moments
Log onto our live cam on Explore.org and fill out the survey to flag noteworthy social behaviors as they happen. Drop in for 10 minutes or four hours. Every observation counts.
Phase 2 – Fall 2026: Go deeper
Complete a short virtual training and review flagged footage on Zooniverse, a free online platform for community science, and log detailed behavioral data that feeds directly into our research findings. Whether you contribute three hours or 30, every observation brings us closer to understanding the bonds formed by the rescued cows at Farm Sanctuary.
All materials, behavior guides, cow ID sheets, and video examples of behaviors are provided. If you can watch a video and take notes, you can help us with this research.
Sign up below, and we’ll reach out when it’s time to get involved. Whether you’re an animal lover, a student building research skills, or anything in between, there’s a place for you on this team.
