(CN - HK) Permanent shelter for wild cattle in Hong Kong

[Guest guest]

By Channel NewsAsia's Hong Kong Correspondent Leslie Tang | Posted: 17 January

2009 0104 hrs

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/402892/1/.html

 

HONG KONG: One woman in Hong Kong has made it her life mission to save abandoned

cattle from the slaughterhouse.

 

Nearly a decade ago, Yeung Yeung gave up city life to open a cow refuge and now

has her hands full taking care of some 100 wild cows.

 

The animal refuge, called Cow's Home, is a permanent shelter for wild cows, ox

and even buffalo.

 

Decked out in farm gear, one would never guess that Yeung Yeung used to hold a

regular 9-to-5 office job. She started her mission after learning that abandoned

cattle were fated for the slaughterhouse.

 

" I was very surprised and pained to hear how the cows were treated. Because

mankind have been using them for cultivation for a long time, I felt we should

provide them with a resting place, " said Yeung Yeung, who is also the chairwoman

of World Animal Rights Charity Association.

 

Using her savings, she bought cows from auctions to save them from the chopping

block.

 

Her bovines all have names and Yeung Yeung can recognise each and every face.

She spends about 19 hours every day feeding them and taking them out on the

fields. But it is a tough job enforcing crowd control on 100 cattle.

 

Woody Leung, one of the volunteers at the Cow's Home, said: " My work, compared

with the workers, is more comfortable. The workers have to work almost 24 hours

a day. I have to work maybe six to 12 (hours). "

 

Yeung Yeung is presently hoping to get more donations and volunteers for her

cause as she plans to open an educational cow farm elsewhere.