Gentle Barn, an animal sanctuary, has raised many abused animals over the years and given them a better life. One of their famous inhabitants was a cow named John Lewis Thunderheart (or Lewis for short).
Lewis’ mother was killed at a slaughterhouse, leaving him without anyone to care for him. He has pneumonia and as a result requires intensive care. So Gentle Barn took him in and nursed him back to health. Little did the volunteers know, however, that Lewis would have an unlikely friend at the reserve.
Cow Comforting Dog
Because Lewis grew up in a stressful environment, he was not provided with the nutrients he needed to build a strong immune system. So contracting pneumonia puts him at risk of death, especially if exposed to the elements outdoors for too long.
Ellie Laks and Jay Weiner, the founders of Gentle Barn, kept Lewis in their air-conditioned home during his medical treatment. During Lewis’ recovery, he made a new friend: a dog named Sky!
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Gentle Barn adopted Sky, an Australian Shepherd, after someone surrendered to him. His previous owners couldn’t keep up with his high energy levels. At first, the Laks and Weiner weren’t about to adopt Sky, but they realized that he had the qualities of a therapy dog that made him a great addition to the organization.
When Sky met Lewis, the two formed an immediate connection. Sky always comforts Lewis by cuddling and giving him lots of kisses. The founders believe that Sky’s love and dedication to Lewis helped the calf to heal.
Best friend for life!
When Lewis was strong enough to return to the outside, his relationship with Sky grew even stronger. At that time, both of them were about the same size so they would run around and play with each other like two dogs. As Lewis adjusts to life near other cows, Sky is always there to support him.
Lewis is now a lot bigger than Sky (weighing around 1,000 pounds), but that doesn’t change their friendship. Now, Lewis is more careful when playing with Sky to avoid hurting him, but Sky still cuddles him and kisses him occasionally.
“Watching Lewis and Sky together, there is so much to be grateful for. What I love the most is that no matter how old or how old they are, their love continues,” Laks said. “For us, we see a dog and a cow. But with John Lewis and Sky, they only see friends, they see family, they see love.”
Sky and Lewis may not be friends, but nothing can break their bond. To see updates about them and their animal friends, you can follow Gentle Barn on Facebook and Instagram.
Watch Lewis and Sky’s friendship grow here:
Featured pictures: Instagram
