Sweet Home For Orphan Calf

	Leona Gallegos, left, with nieces, nephew, Logan and husband, Mike Marlow, at Black Beauty Ranch.© Diane Miller

March 2009 update on Logan from Ranch Manager Diane Miller: "Logan is fantastic, a huge character. He's very energetic and really loves getting attention, shall we say. He loves to play and chase the staff on the golf cart or the feed truck. Over the winter, he's been living with a special needs horse named Chester. We'll introduce Logan soon and turn him loose. We're all very excited."

The little guy had a rough start, but Logan the orphan calf has found a new home—and a new life.

He is the newest resident of the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, a 1,300-acre animal sanctuary in Murchison, Texas, run by The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund For Animals.

Lucky Start

Born to an older mother who had to be euthanized due to complications just after his birth, Logan was discovered at a ranch in northeast New Mexico by Leona Gallegos and her husband, Mike Marlow. With the chance of the calf's survival slim to none, the couple loaded Logan up in their Crown Victoria and set about finding him a home.

	Logan had his very own bed on the front porch of his New Mexico home.© Family Photo

That’s how he came to spend a summer as a family pet on a small farm owned by a relative of Gallegos. For several months, Logan lived as one of the family: sleeping on a covered porch and playing tag with the local children.

But when the calf grew to more than 500 pounds—on his way to an adult size of 1,500 pounds—the owners of the farm contemplated selling him for slaughter.

But Gallegos and Marlow convinced the family otherwise, and they began their search anew for a permanent and safe home.

Renewed Search

They called animal shelters and animal welfare groups, and one after another, they weren’t able to take Logan. Finally, their luck changed. Through a network of dedicated animal advocates, Gallegos and Marlow came upon the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, which welcomed Logan with open arms.

"For nearly 30 years, Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch has been taking in sick and abandoned animals with nowhere else to turn,” said Diane Miller, director of operations at the ranch. “We are excited to welcome Logan as the newest member of our family.

“Not long ago, Logan was struggling just to survive and was still in danger of being sent to the slaughterhouse. But now he will live out the rest of his life in comfort and happiness."

Homecoming

Gallegos and Marlow, joined by the children who doted on Logan back in New Mexico, delivered the calf to the ranch last Saturday, November 29.

	When Logan was smaller, he could nap in the backseat of the car.© Family photo

“He’s a little on the small side for his age, and it may be a few weeks before he can join our big herd, but he’s quickly acclimating to his new environment,” Miller said.

When he is large enough, Logan will join the 42 cattle already in residence at the ranch. He will then be able to roam freely over 1,200 acres along with other cattle, horses, burros and bison.

“It’s been a real hunker down couple of days with cold, windy weather, so we haven’t been pushing any meetings just yet,” Miller said. “But the adult cattle are already looking forward to meeting him. When the weather improves, we’ll probably set up a little pasture for him next to the adults.

But that hasn’t stopped the calf and cows from exchanging bovine pleasantries, as this demonstrative species is known for.

“He’s having fun bellowing back and forth with the other cattle from across the aisle,” Miller said.  “They all just stop in their tracks when Logan bellows and peer over and reply with what certainly is a very warm curiosity.”

“It’s just delightful.”

The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch is a world-renowned animal sanctuary that is home to more than 1,300 domestic and exotic animals. Many of the residents were rescued from near-death situations like slaughterhouses, biomedical research labs and trophy hunting ranches. Others were discarded from circuses or roadside zoos or were former victims of the exotic pet trade.

In addition to former research chimpanzees, bison and cattle, horses and burros, antelope and apes, camels and llamas, all have permanent, safe homes at the ranch, which was founded in 1979 by author and animal advocate Cleveland Amory.