Just like us, many animals struggle with cold weather. They risk problems like frostbite and hypothermia, making it heartwarming to see people step in to help keep them warm. One such instance involves a resourceful farmer who came up with a unique way to save a freezing baby cow’s life.
Dean Gangwer, a farmer from Rossville, Indiana, raises cattle on his farm. One icy morning in 2015, Dean stumbled upon an unexpected surprise.
Overnight, one of his cows had given birth without him noticing. Unfortunately, the calf was born onto a mound of snow and was now severely cold.
Dean saw the baby cow was in dire condition, barely breathing and unable to keep its eyes open. Acting swiftly, he brought the freezing calf to his home, determined to save its life.
With his knowledge of cattle, Dean knew a hot bath was necessary to warm the calf. Conveniently, he had just the right tool: his hot tub!
It might sound odd, but the idea worked perfectly.
“I jumped in fully dressed, held Leroy up so he didn’t drown, and we had a nice bath for an hour,” Dean told WRTV. “We both came out warm and I think the end story’s gonna be great for him.”
After that cozy soak, Dean wrapped the calf in warm heated blankets.
Dean named the calf Leroy. Shortly after, Leroy’s body temperature returned to normal, and he was ready to join the other cows.
While this was a one-time solution to save the calf’s life, Dean made it clear that his hot tub won’t become a regular spa for the cows.
“Leroy’s officially done hot-tubbing,” he said with a chuckle. “Some sunbathing is definitely in his future out in the grass, but his hot tub days are over.”
A big thank you to this quick-thinking farmer for saving the calf’s life! Share this heartwarming story!