Most people don’t give much thought to where their food comes from. The biggest grocery store dilemma tends to be whether organic and free-range really matter. But meat doesn’t just appear on refrigerated shelves—it comes from real animals, raised for the sole purpose of ending up on a dinner plate.
A group of cows in St. Louis, Missouri, were facing that fate when one determined bovine decided he had other plans. Chico, the clear ringleader, broke through three fences at a slaughterhouse, freeing five of his fellow cows in a daring escape.
Once outside, the rebellious herd turned their getaway into a full-blown spectacle, dodging traffic and sending humans on an unexpected game of “catch the cows.” Their adventure even made the evening news, with commuters baffled by the sight of runaway livestock causing chaos in the city.
Unfortunately, their freedom was short-lived. The cows were eventually rounded up and returned to the slaughterhouse. But the community had already fallen in love with Chico and his band of brave escapees and wasn’t about to let their story end there.
A GoFundMe campaign quickly sprang up to buy the cows’ freedom. With enough donations and some serious persuasion, the owner agreed to spare them. The only problem? Finding a sanctuary to take them in. With no immediate offers, it seemed like Chico and his friends might still meet the fate they had tried so hard to escape—until The Gentle Barn stepped in.
Based in California, The Gentle Barn team knew they couldn’t just walk away from these cows’ story. So, they did something extraordinary: they opened a brand-new Missouri location just to give Chico and his friends a permanent home.
Ellie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn, knew it was the right move the moment she met Chico.
“I went to St. Louis, walked over to the pasture fence, and about 150 feet away, the cows were in a line looking at me,” Laks shared on the Almost 30 podcast. “The leader, Chico, crossed the 150 feet until he was standing in front of me. I dropped to my knees and started weeping.”
That was the moment she knew: The Gentle Barn had to expand.
Now, Chico and his friends are thriving at their sanctuary, living out their days playing in open fields and—most adorably—offering “cow hug therapy.” Visitors to the St. Louis sanctuary can experience firsthand just how affectionate these gentle giants are. Instead of the skittish or standoffish behavior some might expect, these cows happily nuzzle up to humans, lay their heads in people’s laps, and lean in for cuddles like oversized, thousand-pound puppies.
Chico’s escape wasn’t just about survival—it was about finding a new purpose. And now, he and his friends get to spend their days spreading joy, one cow snuggle at a time.