Sad & Joyful News

Special Note

For the last 34 years, we have manually calculated and sent out tax letters. In the last two years, we have implemented online software to accept donations from our website. This software also provides automated annual receipts or tax letters. It also allows us to add donations from sources other than the website to automate a tax letter. So now, all ISCOWP donors can acquire their tax letters online. Here is the link that gives instructions on acquiring your 2024 tax letter. If you have any difficulties, please contact us.

Seven Cows Rescued in 2024 and Named

Thank you so much for helping to save, support, and name seven cows rescued in 2024. Your help inspires us! ISCOWP rescued the first three cows in May. Siya came home to ISCOWP on 5/10/24 with her calf, Gopi, and another calf, Lalita, who lost her mother to a snake bite soon after she was born. Siya adopted Lalita and nursed her, too.

Then, on December 8, 2024, four calves were rescued and arrived at ISCOWP. By February 2025, all seven had received lifetime adoptions and were thus named (a lifetime adopter may name their adopted cow if they are newly rescued with no name).

All adoptions are essential to helping us securely care for and protect a cow for life. Together, we are protecting cows! Thank you!

Devakinandana Passed Away

Our main feeding area is in the back pasture, right behind our house. We saw Devaki lying down when the cows were eating hay on Sunday, January 26. We felt something was wrong by looking at him, so we went into the pasture to check. He had passed away but was still warm. It was a bit of a shock as we saw him walking around and eating hay the evening before.

It was in 2023 that Devaki was diagnosed with cancer on the third eyelid of his left eye. He was taken to the veterinarian hospital, and it was removed, and so was some growth in his right eye. The vets at the hospital thought they had gotten all the cancer cells. It is also possible to have growths on the third eyelid that are not cancerous. There was additional minimal growth on his right eyelid, but the vet did not think it was of concern. We were told to watch it to see if it got worse. It did not. Cancer of the eye is common in white-faced cows, especially when they live past a few years. Devakinandana was 10 1/2 years old.

Devakinandana was one of the eight calves rescued from the auction barn in 2014. There were two other Holstein boys in the group who had passed away, one diagnosed with spinal cancer. At this point, we do not know why Devaki passed away so quickly. Usually, a cow will sit down, and when they don’t get up after a day, we know there is a serious condition. He looks like he just laid down and went to sleep without struggle. He was walking around yesterday, so he did not have a long period of suffering. Praise the Lord for that.

We will miss seeing him in the pasture and hearing his boisterous voice. It has been 10 1/2 years since we have had his association, and we will miss him dearly, as we are sure you will too.

Partnering with Project YouthBuild

Sarah Mills, AmeriCorps engagement coach, recently brought a youth group from Project YouthBuild. Sarah develops and implements daily service projects with Gainesville’s local non-profit and governmental entities. We met with her in October of 2024. We were all enthused to work together to impact young lives positively and, at the same time, work on developing projects at the ISCOWP cow sanctuary. February 10 was the first visit. All went well; the youth were happy, and some work was done for the cows.