A pair of large forever friends are preparing for their next big moo-ve after being taken into care by the B.C. SPCA earlier this month.
Dawn and Dusk, a water buffalo and a holstein cow, respectively, are bonded, meaning they can’t be separated because of their strong attachment.
That means their future home will have to have space for both.
“They really love each other,” said Layla Gilhooly, a centre manager for the B.C. SPCA based in Burnaby. “They do everything together.
“They have been a joy to look after.”
WATCH | Two bovine besties are up for adoption together:
Meet Dusk the cow and Dawn the water buffalo — the two unlikely best friends who were rescued together and are now up for adoption as a pair.
The SPCA says the pair, both females, came to them on April 12, from poor conditions including being tethered and fed restricted diets. They both had minor wounds and were underweight, Gilhooly said.
Dawn and Dusk are currently being cared for by a foster family in Merritt, B.C., but Gilhooly says the SPCA has approved an application for adoption and expects they’ll be at their forever home soon.
BFFs
Bovine animals, such as cattle, buffalo and bison and — less likely to be found in B.C. — antelope, are herd animals, which means they do require companionship, Gilhooly said.
But she said it’s the first time she’s come across a bonded water buffalo and cow.
Dawn is also the first water buffalo to end up in B.C. SPCA care, according to Gilhooly.
More outgoing and trusting than her cow-panion, Dawn spends her days looking for love from her caregivers, rolling around in mud and grazing.
“She will give you kisses, she also put her head in one of our staff members’ laps and fell asleep and started snoring away,” Gilhooly said.
She’s also very food motivated.
“It could get difficult for our staff when they were trying to enter her paddock with some food because she’s a big animal and they would be trying to open the gate and she would just be interested in going for the buckets of food,” Gilhooly said.
Dusk is a little more shy but loves following Dawn around, soaking up sunshine and drinking from the garden hose.
She also happens to be pregnant. She was underweight when she arrived at the SPCA but has now gained enough pounds to carry her young.
“I think Dawn will be a great aunt to Dusk’s babies when they come along,” Gilhooly said.
She said bonded female animals often end up co-parenting in these situations.
Gilhooly said the ideal home for these bovine besties would be a place where they can roam free, without being tethered. Because they’re social creatures, she said it’s important their adopter be able to spend time with them.