Woman Rescues A Baby Cow From Auction, An Unforeseen Friendship Blossoms

When you love something so dearly, you will see remarkable things happen. Susan Klingenberg has devoted her entire life to rescuing animals and providing them shelter at her farm.

For two decades, Susan had been a full-time business analyst in Maryland. While she felt successful, she knew there was more out there to accomplish. In 2009, life conspired to give her that much-needed push. It happened shortly after her mother passed away, leaving her devastated.

Susan made an emotional decision fueled by a passion for tending to animals. To fulfill her vow, she bought a plot of land near her childhood home and spent the next six years rearing various living creatures that needed TLC.

By now, Susan was devoting most of her energy to the refuge, working only part-time as a business analyst. Her search for more space led her to an incredible farm in Virginia, which meant leaving her childhood town in Maryland.

The move to Virginia brought in glad tidings for Susan and her sanctuary. Since the transfer, the place has been brimming with goats, donkeys, cats, horses, and dogs.

Susan named her perfect haven the Little Bucket Farm Sanctuary, and for a heartwarming reason. The farm gets its name from a little fellow called Bucket, whom she rescued from a livestock auction a year prior to the Virginia move.

One of the things she added to her bucket list in 2017 was her need to save a life at the livestock auction. In March, she had an opportunity to attend one. There, she was moved to tears at the sorry state of the cattle that needed rescuing.

Susan was angered when she saw the filthy trunks the cattle were transported in; the animals’ depraved state depressed her. Determined to save at least one life, she soon found them auctioning the tiniest calf she had ever seen. He had been ripped apart from his mom the day before and discarded.

On March 28, Susan brought the calf home. She adorably named him Bucket after the bucket list that saved his life. He’s a reminder there’s still good in this harsh world.

Since Bucket needed personal care, Susan brought him into her home the first night. Stepping inside, he went straight to a bed on the floor and lay down. Whose bed might that be? That was when she began to worry about him getting along with the other animals at the shelter.

Bucket appeared as a ray of sunshine in their lives; he positively affected everyone around him, especially Colton. Initially, she had kept them apart by putting up a fence; only their noses touched, but soon that changed.

Initially, the two pets walked side by side and often hung out together. When Bucket lay down to rest, Colton would simply sit next to him and wait for him to wake up. Everyone on the farm loved the growing bond between the two.

Being a dog and a calf makes them an unlikely pairing in a traditional sense. So, how did they manage to click and even form a lasting friendship? What was their magic mantra?

Susan’s theory made sense because you only had to watch the videos of the calf and the dog playing to realize it looked like two puppies hanging out together and having the time of their lives. It was easy to see them becoming best friends forever, and that’s precisely what happened.

Watching them share a close relationship made Susan a happy person. Their presence made her smile every day. She didn’t intervene in their regular routine and let them chart their relationship how they wished.

Year after year, the tiny calf started filling out and becoming larger. Bucket soon became a giant steer, looming large over the small dog. In a 2021 video on Dodo, Susan shared her concern; Colton wasn’t getting any bigger while the calf was growing. 

Whoever watched the interaction between Bucket and Colton was stunned to see how their sizes had little to no impact on how they responded to each other. It was clear that the steer was conscious of his enormous size; he weighed over a thousand pounds, which can be intimidating for someone like Colton.

While the world may believe that large animals can’t befriend small ones, Colton and Bucket are disproving that theory. The big boy is often seen adjusting his bulky frame to her size, and it’s the most adorable sight ever. 

No matter the changes with age, the two do not want to risk losing their friendship. The two make more than enough effort to ensure they remain buddies for life.

Bucket is similar to Colton in the way he responds to gentle commands. If you call him onto the field, he’d happily come by. It’s the same with the dog. Susan shed some light on their matching personalities, probably why they get along like a house on fire. 

It’s not like only the dog and the cow are buddying up; several such sweet interactions exist between the rest of the animals. Often the first one to interact with the new shelter entrants, Colton also befriended Willow, a donkey. 

You may wonder if Colton shares the same bond with Willow as she does with Bucket. Even though their friendships are equally precious, there is a vast difference in how they bond. While playful and boisterous with Bucket, she’s incredibly gentle with Willow. 

Colton is known as the Little Bucket Farm Sanctuary’s animal whisperer who adores everyone. She was only seven months old, living off the streets, when she was brought into Small Miracles Cat & Dog Rescue. Little Bucket Sanctuary adopted her later, long before Bucket was brought in. 

Colton is exceptional; she has this uncanny ability to spot those rescue animals that need love and care. She befriends them immediately, making them comfortable in her presence. Not many dogs have this generosity of spirit and gentle nature. 

Bucket and Colton are like two peas in a pod who found each other as if they were meant to be. Their friendship came naturally; the bond deepened on its own accord as if the world conspired to make it happen.