Cattles’ Cook Strait adventure to safety

PAULA HULBURT

Two cows are recovering at their new Marlborough home after a six-day saga to safety.

Pregnant Sophia, 7, and Amethyst, 9, are the newest members of the family at Te Paranui Animal Sanctuary in Koromiko.

The pair arrived in the region on Wednesday after a huge six-day trip from Auckland where they were being looked after temporarily by rescue organisation Cow Care.s

Sanctuary manager Alex Radford, who grew up in Grovetown, says the trip was expected to take three days but complications delayed their arrival.

Trucks that were too small, a broken motor on a Bluebridge ferry, blocked roads and then a truck stuck in mud saw her excitement turn to worry, she explains.

“These two have been through so much on their trip that was meant to only take three days. We are so relieved that they are almost here safe and sound.”

“The girls unloaded beautifully with a little hesitation at first, they happily wandered along and into their paddock perfectly.”

While still a bit shy, the gentle giants have started to relax, joining the other animals at the sanctuary, including donkeys, steers, alpacas, sheep, cats, cows, turkeys, guinea pigs, goats, pigs and rabbits.

They are cared for by Alex, who has a diploma in Animal Welfare and has studied animal health science, and full time volunteer Harrison Fisher, who got to know the cows when they were in Auckland.

“I think they do recognise me but they’re in a new environment and it’s a bit strange for them right now,” he says.