Last week we lost Opie, a dear friend who lived at our Watkins Glen shelter since 1990.  Opie, like other calves born to dairy cows, was separated from his mother.  Still wet from birth, he was taken to a stockyard to be sold, possibly for veal.  Weak and frail, he succumbed to freezing temperatures, and fell in an alleyway where he was left to die.  I saw him, nearly comatose and laying crumpled on the ground, and asked a stockyard worker what was happening with this poor animal.  He said “I have to bury him later today.”  I offered to take the calf off his hands and brought Opie to a nearby animal hospital.  The veterinarian said the calf had less than a 5% chance of survival and it made no economic sense to try and treat him.  I expressed that Opie was not an economic unit, but an individual who deserved our help.  After some initial reluctance, the veterinarian finally provided needed medical care, and a few days later, Opie was well on his way to recovery.  When his severe physical condition was improved, I took him out to meet his “people” (i.e. the cows).  He was welcomed with friendly moos and nurturing kinship, and he began to thrive, running and playing and kicking up his heels. As Opie healed, so did I and others around him. His joyful spirit was contagious.  Opie grew up to weigh well over a ton, standing more than six feet tall at the shoulder.  He was a gentle giant, and a beautiful, calming presence at Farm Sanctuary for the past couple decades.  His passing will hurt for a long time, but his memory and his transformative life, will guide and inspire us forever.  Please read our tribute to Opie here.