Devi Loves:
- Her daughter, Laxmi
- Lounging with her cow herd
Devi’s Story:
Devi was moved from one ranch to another during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ended up with a rancher who planned to use her as a dairy cow. A compassionate soul from the Colorado Jain community rescued Devi from the ranch, unaware that Devi was already pregnant. At the time of her rescue, Devi was less than two years old. This was far too young to be pregnant because Devi’s body was not fully developed.
Devi rested at a farmhouse in Aurora, Colorado, during her pregnancy. On December 10th, 2021, Devi gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Laxmi. It was the coldest day in the last 77 years in Aurora, and Devi delivered Laxmi entirely on her own without any human assistance.
Devi and Laxmi’s relationship represents something very special in this world. In the dairy industry, most babies are taken away from their mothers on their first day of life, and many never get to drink any of their mother’s milk. Laxmi is one of the very few calves in this world who gets every drop of her mama’s milk.
Their story is a glimmer of hope that one day, all mothers and their babies may be able to spend their lives together and be recognized as sentient beings.
A big thank you to Neha Jhaveri for helping us ensure that Devi and Laxmi will spend their lives together, never facing the risk of separation again.
