This week, in Queens County, New York City, a bull escaped from a slaughterhouse — a disgusting, filthy, slaughterhouse, where the stench of blood and death is overwhelming. The bull, now named Courage, tried desperately to escape. He succeeded. Somehow, he got out of the slaughterhouse and ran through the streets of Queens. Police gave chase.
Reporters from multiple local news sources were on the scene, covering the story. Residents were gawking. Courage, most certainly terrorized, did not know where he was running to – but he knew what he was running away from. Scared, confused, and afraid, he kept running. He ran for two hours. He ran for his life. He ultimately lost.
NYPD, in what could be considered a humane gesture, tried to tranquilize the giant animal. Clearly, they have no training for how to do that, because Courage died. He had numerous tranquilizer darts protruding from his body, and it is assumed that he was over-tranquilized to death.
He was supposed to be on his way to New York City’s Animal Care and Control, where Mike Stura, from Skylands Animal Sanctuary, was rushing to meet him, with the intention of taking Courage to the sanctuary. There, Courage would have been able to, for once, experience peace, kindness, and love. Instead, Courage died in transit. A tragedy all around. But there is a far greater tragedy, as well.
Courage earned his name by taking a chance and making a run for freedom and peace that he would never find. But for every one Courage, for every one animal that tries to escape the living hell in which he or she is a prisoner, there are not hundreds, not thousands, and not millions more – there are billions more, who never get to escape, who are destined to live unimaginable lives of misery, torture, cruelty, and abuse, never experiencing any freedom, peace, kindness, or love.
They are forever deprived of the sun, deprived of feeling grass beneath them, deprived of breathing fresh air, deprived of normal social relationships, deprived of their family, deprived of their friends. They will only know beatings, crammed conditions, filth, darkness, and demented sociopaths, in human form, who will torture and abuse them, until they are mercilessly slaughtered.
Courage’s actions are more proof that animals are no different than us in every way that counts. They want to be free – just like us. They want to live their own lives, their way – just like us. They want to make their own decisions – just like us. They value their lives – just like us. Who are we to take control of them, and then torture them? Who are we to dominate them, and dictate the terms of their existence? We have no such right. We have no right to do this to the other sentient beings who inhabit this planet with us, to whom we refer as “animals”. Courage’s story is a tragedy, indeed. Just like the billions of other animals whose stories never get told.
This is not the first of the many incidents of desperate, valiant creatures who, comprehending their imminent slaughter among their fellow sentient creatures, are terrified, and bolt, flee and try to save themselves! Slaughter houses often encounter these attempts among pigs, chickens, cows, sheep and all creatures, who are conscious of their lives, and who are, indeed….all creatures. All creatures are conscious of their lives and, in horror, comprehend their slaughter as they are herded into slaughter lines, in full view of the kill preceding their place in that line. Slaughter houses are not houses of humane killings! People, please stop it, stop it, stop it!
It’s a very sad world we live in we have no respect for animals we eat them we give them pain it breaks my heart. We need to start looking into the slaughterhouses and I know people will not stop eating meat but they have to do something about this torture and brutal killings murders. There has to be a humane way to do this. My heart breaks
It’s so sad, he was so close to making it…
Of course Courage would run away from all those people and cars chasing him. The urban people handling this situation did not have experience how to handle and behave around an animal, nor basic veterinary training. He was a gentle creature, hopefully we will learn and also shut down the horrible slaughter houses.
How much longer do omnivores run away from a deep truth? How much longer do they lie to themselves? The time is now for those who eat these beings to reexamine their choices. With a tidal wave of info on why we should not eat animal protein, there is no better time than NOW!!
Freedom (as I wish he had been named) is the sacrificial lamb for our sins — goading us to our higher potential to allow our fellow earthlings the same freedoms we hold precious for ourselves, on them.
We will continue to strive to make sure that their deaths were not in vain.
I wish they would take another Bull in the place of the one who tried to live. And bring it to a sanctuary
The overwhelming support shown for Courage in his fight for freedom is proof that most people made the connection with someone who wanted his freedom. They watched a real, live cow run for his life, being chased by police and cars, clearly scared and panicked. And they understood — this cow had feelings of fear just like they would in this situation. Most New Yorkers never see live farm animals until they’ve been slaughtered, their body parts placed into plastic packages, sitting in a cold case in the supermarket. But Courage’s escape showed them that cows are just like their dogs and cats and every other living being – everyone wants to live. Don’t lose that connection. Don’t eat animals. They deserve life too.
Thank you for writing this piece on Courage the Bull. I’m hoping his quest for freedom and his desperate fight for life helps people FINALLY make the connection and take animals off their plate. People fear discomfort and change; I getvthst, but perhaps this tragic incident will clarify just how that discomfort pales in comparison to the horrific pain that is endured by the 10 billion animals who are slaughtered every year for people’s palates – keep reading the words and hopefully you’ll realize how twisted it really is to consume the dead flesh of a sentient being who wanted to live just like you, I or your dog or cat at home!
Go vegan, make peace.
I feel confident that Courage’s story will stay in the forefront of New Yorkers minds for a long time. Sadly he was one of us, desperate to be free from harm, longing for more and took a bold chance to get it. Unfortunately the NYPD demonstrated their ineptitude again in dealing with animals and THAT must change immediately.
Fortunately the animal rights, vegan and animal advocacy community rally in a moments notice so a beautiful animal like Courage does not go unnoticed and become just another victim.
It’s our job as activists to help people connect the dots between animals who they’re routing for, like Courage, and the animals who are on their plate.
Thanks for posting this. It’s good that we are using this event as a time to educate the community about animal rights so that he did not die in vain.
It’s so very sad what happened to him. No one can tell me that animals don’t have feelings. In the way these animals are slaughtered is so cruel that I don’t blame him for wanting to run away. They need to come up with better ways to make these animals comfortable before slaughteringing them and stop the inhumane abuse.
“Courage” was his name…indeed…he earned it! Brave and large in life, even larger in death, and the whole world has learned that his life mattered. He was noble, beautiful, heroic and smart but to those who profit from the very flesh, the skin and bones of voiceless animals, they are nothing more than faceless, “inanimate” units of production.
Courage risked all for the right to his own life! for his very right to be. We will not forget this extraordinary soul. May he find peace and true freedom, over the Bridge!
Terrific, moving piece, on the mark!
Thank you Nora!
Thanks for posting this article. So much rings true for me.