Since coming to Farm Sanctuary, Cynthia goat has raised her little boy, Bruce, into a strong, kind, and vibrant adult. He’s the kind of child who’d make any parent proud, the light of her life.

When given a chance, goats make doting, attentive mothers. They can identify their children’s unique voices, even after spending a long time apart. As herd animals, they form tight familial bonds; separations can be very traumatic. And like cows or humans (or any lactating mammal), mother goats only make milk when pregnant or nursing.

Cynthia and Bruce share a bond that clearly gives them both joy. You wouldn’t know it now by looking at them, but there was a time that these two lived in a very dark place.

A backyard butcher raised Cynthia and Bruce. As La Mancha goats, they’re usually exploited for dairy, but this farmer mostly raised animals for meat. Cynthia might have lost other kids to slaughter—and Bruce could have been next.

When our rescue team arrived at the scene, it felt more like a graveyard than a farm. The pair lived with over one hundred ailing animals. They’d been deprived of proper food and care. Many had starved to death; bodies littered the property, mixed among piles of trash. The sickly, emaciated animals who lived long enough to be slaughtered were likely served at the owner’s adjacent restaurant.

It’s worth mentioning: Some people think buying local means “cleaner” or “happier” meat. That compared to factory farms, a local farmer will have higher care standards. But often, consumers are paying for the cruelty they hope to avoid. Unregulated farming—and slaughter—like this also poses a great risk to public health.

In all, more than 170 animals were rescued from this gruesome scene of neglect.

Working alongside rescuers from other sanctuaries, we began gathering the survivors. With our experience and closeness to a major veterinary hospital, we agreed to the sickest of the lot—including Bruce. He was weak, anemic, and emaciated. Later, we found he had pneumonia and a variety of parasites. Without proper treatment, Bruce could have died.

In contrast, Cynthia was healthier than some of the others on the farm. Underweight and with a rough, dull coat from malnutrition, she needed routine—not emergency—care. Based on those standards, she might have gone home with one of our rescue partners.

But we noticed Bruce and Cynthia hardly moved from each other’s sides—she had to make sure we wouldn’t take her baby away! With so many animals in need, it was helpful to see their bond (bonded pairs do much better long-term). Each rescue team could only take so many; they could easily have been separated. Cynthia clung so tightly to Bruce, though—we knew that they belonged together.

There’s nothing like a mother’s love to help a sick little boy feel better! As we took care of his physical health, Cynthia soothed Bruce in her own way. Her presence calmed him; he would often rest his little head against her back. In time, they no longer expended their energy in fear; they could simply focus on getting well.

Bruce’s recovery did wonders for Cynthia, too. Once she realized that she and her baby were safe, she let her guard down around us. We quickly learned how loveable and spunky she is. Her signature greeting is a grand head nuzzle: she’ll enthusiastically rub her head along our bodies as a show of love. If we don’t respond with enough pets to her liking, she’ll nibble our ears or pull our hair for more attention!

She and Bruce now reside with a lively group of goats—several of whom came from this same rescue. He’s a big guy now—even taller than mom—but he’ll always be her little boy. He still loves cuddling alongside her, and we often see them just hanging out together.

Such relationships, though rare due to the common and cruel practices in animal agriculture, are not unique. Goat moms, like any other mom, love their kids with all their hearts. Humans don’t have to tear these families apart; in fact, they can become a special part of our own families!