These cows saved from mistreatment, chained in their own manure, risk returning to the hands of their tormentor

Dramatic news is shaking the world of animal lovers: five cows – Coni, Lola, Audumbla, Renata and Lorea – could be returned to the owner who left them in extreme conditions, in the dark, chained and without food or water. After months of treatment inside the Spanish refuge “La Manada Cantabra”, these creatures have found health and freedom again. But a court ruled that they must return to the breeder from whom they were stolen.

The story becomes further complicated because the shelter, located on a rented estate, is facing eviction. Without alternative land, it will not be possible to guarantee a secure future for the animals still housed there, including calves born to some of these cows during their stay at the refuge.

According to information spread on social media by those who manage La Manada Cántabra, Coni, Lola, Audumbla, Renata and Lorea they had been found in a state of serious mistreatment: very thin, with visible ribs, chained in a narrow space without light. The association welcomed them, cared for and nourished them, facing food costs and veterinary interventions without any state financial support.

The stories published on the refuge’s official channels show photos and videos of the “before and after”: in a few months, the cows returned to normal weight and regained mobility, strength and will to live. Some, already pregnant upon arrival, they even gave birth to new calvesa sign of their newfound health.

The dramatic situation exploded when a judicial order required the five cows to be returned to the old ownerthe one who had been reported for mistreatment. From the news that has emerged online, it seems that the shelter’s lawyers attempted to have SEPRONA agents (a special department of the Spanish Civil Guard) heard in the courtroom, key witnesses to the initial kidnappingbut without success.

The greatest fear is that, once returned, these cows will be sent to the slaughterhousemaking all the work done to save them in vain. In the messages released by the shelter and the volunteers, there is talk of a “reward” for those who have been guilty of mistreatment, given that they could now benefit financially from the sale of healthy and well-fed animals.

A shelter under eviction

The story doesn’t stop here. La Manada Cántabra lives on rented land, but the owner of the land intends to chase them away. The appeal appears on the web and on the social profiles of the association: a new space is needed to house not only the five cows, but also other animals that live in the shelter (including horses, sheep and dogs).

The deadline is imminent. The contract was already concluded in December and the owners sent a formal notice ordering the eviction. In the meantime, the center’s managers have opened fundraising campaigns (including one on the migranodearena.org platform) and a “Teaming” that allows people to donate 1 euro per month. The goal is to buy a larger estatewhere we can continue the rescue activity and offer safety to these animals, without fearing a sudden eviction.

The reaction of the internet: influencers, associations and journalists on alert

The activists’ appeal has made the rounds on social media: on Instagram and Facebook, several users, influencers and animal protection organizations have shared the story, tagging well-known newspapers and associations (including Igualdad Animal, Animal Equality, LAV and others ). The intent is twofold:

According to online sources, the definitive return could take place at any moment. “”, the volunteers repeat in videos and social posts. The same people who invested time and resources to bring them from darkness to light now fear that they will witness a dramatic epilogue.

In the meantime, the cows that will formally remain the property of the association (the calves born in the refuge, duly registered in its name) are also in danger: once they lose the ground, they will have nowhere safe to go. And the same goes for the other animals that live inside La Manada Cántabra and nearby structures, at risk of expropriation or eviction in the short term.