Adopt Margarita

Margarita @ El Hogar Animal Sanctuary

Margarita was only a calf when she was separated from her mother. Because Margarita is a fighting cow, without the milk of her mother she would not have been able to reach a weight that satisfied the breeders. In most cases, motherless calfs are killed off right away. But Margarita was lucky: the breeder gave her to a friend, as a ‘present’, where she could live calmly, but alone.

Margarita has lived alone her entire life, without having the opportunity to enjoy interaction with other individuals of her species. Neighbours came to visit her and fell in love with her sweet character. They gave her the name ‘La Dulce Margarita’ (sweet Margarita).

After a complaint from a neighbour about the owner of Margarita, her life was threatened because the government of Catalonia wanted to slaughter her based on legislation applied to animals destined for meat and milk consumption. El Hogar Animal Sanctuary legally demonstrated that this did on apply on Margarita and that she was always treated as a pet. They collected more than 190,000 signatures through change.org and they protested in front of the Catalonian government.

Thanks to media pressure it was possible to change the legislation in Catalonia. A protocol was created that made possible to rescue the fighting cow and all other cows in similar situations.

Margarita in El Hogar Animal Sanctuary. Koe Ruby is haar grote vriendin

Margarita has been very lucky. In case she would have grown up in the bullfighting sector, she probably would have died during a bullfight. In the becerradas very young cows and bulls of 1 to 2 years old are killed. She could also have been used for ‘tientas’, where her ‘bravery’ was tested. In the bullring several tests are carried out. For example, the stabbing of the cow by a rider on horse back to see how the cow reacts. Normally, only 10% of these cows are approved, the rest is brought to the slaughterhouse or is sold. In case the farm needs to grow, then 50% of the cows will be approved. Their destiny is to breed. The cows with the lower results will only raise bulls, all the females are directly brought to the slaughterhouse.
Now, sweet Margarita lives happy at El Hogar, in freedom where she can run every day on 30 hectares on the slopes of a mountain, together with her brothers and sisters of all species. Margarita is calm and sweet, though she is scared of men due to her past, she is generous and trustful in general. And she adores carrots and hugs.

She plays and lives with goats, pigs, ducks and even with a deer (Fantasia), but her biggest friend is Ruby, an orphan cow that lives at the Sanctuary. They are inseparable, and their lives changed being together, from having nothing to having it all under the protection of the Sanctuary. Both are 4 years old and have a life full of dignitiy and love in front of them.

By adopting Margarita you can contribute to a better life for her. At the same time you support our work to end bullfighting. Read how the adoption process works.

Do you have questions about Margarita? Please contact us.

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