The extraordinary escape of a cow from a Polish farm has captured the attention of both locals and animal enthusiasts alike. This remarkable tale raises important questions about the rights and freedom of animals in captivity. Should animals be afforded the opportunity to roam and live their lives on their own terms?

Recently, a farmer in Poland called Mr Lukasz had to take one of his cows to the slaughter house. It’s never easy knowing what is about to happen to an animal you have carefully brought up since birth. As Mr Lukasz tried to persuade his cow to get into the truck, the cow saw an opportunity. It ran through a fence and headed for freedom. Mr Lukasz and a co-worker chased after it. At one point, it looked as if they would be able to catch the cow, but they failed – and the co-worker broke his arm. He was not happy.

The cow kept on running and eventually arrived at a lake. Could the farmer catch the cow now? He was not even sure if cows could swim. He soon learned that cows can. It entered the water and began swimming to one of the many islands in the centre of the lake. Not wanting to get wet himself, Mr Lukasz could only watch.

Mr Lukasz hired a boat and over the next seven days tried to catch his cow. Each time, he was unsuccessful. Eventually, he called the local fire brigade to see if they could help him. The firefighters brought their own boat and began to close in. Could they catch it?

The answer was no, as the cow returned to the water and swam to another island. All the farmer could do was to make sure that the cow was given some food. In a last attempt to catch his cow, Mr Lukasz called the local vet. Did the vet have a tranquiliser gun?

Yes, he did, but he did not have any tranquilisers and it would take several weeks to order some. That was the final straw for Mr Lukasz. He decided to shoot the cow with his own gun.

By this time, many people in the area had started to talk about the cow’s escape. One local politician wrote on his Facebook page that he thought the cow should be allowed to live. Who would look after it though? Another politician, Pavel Kukiz, had the answer. He said he would pay for the ‘hero cow’ to live. This was good news for the cow. Pavel Kukiz had once been a successful singer before becoming a politician. He was very rich.

So, the cow continues to live on an island on its own. Farmer Lukasz visits regularly to deliver food that Mr Kukiz pays for. It looks like a win-win situation – except for the co-worker of course, who still nurses his broken arm.

Question:

Do you think that it was right for the businessman, Mr Pavel Kukiz, to support the runaway cow, or should it have been captured and sent to the slaughterhouse? Explain your reasons for your decision.

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