With their huge hulks, long horns and raw power, bulls aren’t animals we traditionally
tend to sympathize with – save, perhaps, during Spain’s bloody bullfighting spectacles.
This one, though, whose first forays into freedom were captured on camera, is an exception.
His story will warm your heart.
Meet Bandit, a young bull who had spent his first one and a half years in appalling conditions.
In summer 2014, though, his life would take a turn for the better after his plight was
spotted by an animal rescuer called Christian.
One night, Bandit’s guardian angel drove up to his enclosure.
Touched by the animal’s predicament, Christian, who works at Austria’s Gut Aiderbichl, a
sanctuary for rescued bovines, was there to liberate Bandit from his chains.
Prepared with a trailer to transport the bull to his new home, Christian was determined
to give Bandit a new life.
And this, looking at the confined conditions he’d had to put up with, the animal entirely
deserved.
Indeed, Bandit’s tiny enclosure could barely contain his considerable bulk.
Chained to a metal bar beside a brick wall, the bull had no stimulation whatever.
And judging by his behavior, he was visibly distressed.
When Christian got closer to Bandit, the gentle giant immediately warmed to the attention
by licking and nuzzling this welcome stranger.
It was almost as if the bull recognized the man as his rescuer.
After showing his friendly intentions, Christian got to work on freeing the benevolent Bandit.
And when the chain that tethered the bull to his enclosure was removed from its metal
prongs and taken from around his neck, the animal got that sweet, much-longed-for taste
of freedom.
Seemingly unsure of what to do at first, the newly liberated Bandit started exploring the
barn that had for so long been out of reach.
Inevitably, he was a little unsteady on his feet at first.
Still, after he briefly stopped to acknowledge his fellow bovines, Bandit went on to find
his rhythm and pick up speed.
By then it was surely obvious to the animal that he was free.
Bandit’s response, though, was as unexpected as it was heartwarming.
On realizing that he was no longer imprisoned, the bull hopped around and did a little dance,
only stopping to rub his face in fresh straw.
Despite being just a few feet from where he was tethered, Bandit had clearly forgotten
what fresh straw felt like.
And after being deprived for so long, he was clearly going to make the most of it.
When the dance was over Bandit brushed passed his fellow bovines, each of whom looked to
be captivated by the spectacle playing out in front of them.
It’s almost as if the newly liberated bull was putting on a show.
Bandit’s rescue, though, had only just begun.
After the bull’s victory dance, Christian led him to the back of a straw-covered trailer
ahead of his ride to the Gut Aiderbichl sanctuary.
With Bandit safely in position, Christian and his colleague closed the trailer’s gate.
The bull took a final look at his former unhappy home before the door was closed ahead of a
journey to pastures new.
On arrival, Bandit, with some gentle encouragement from Christian, hopped down from the trailer
and into an enclosure that looked far superior to the old one.
There was straw everywhere and plenty of space in which to run around.
In fact, when he realized just how great it was, Bandit began another dance of joy.
And, inevitably, he buried his head once again in the fresh straw.
This was one happy bull, all right.
This time, though, the creature danced just a little bit harder and buried his head just
a little bit deeper.
Bandit, it seemed, was absolutely delighted with his new surroundings.
They couldn’t be further removed from the prison-like shed he used to call home.
After his almost-choreographed celebration, Bandit returned to Christian, who was standing
on the other side of the fence, to show his gratitude.
By this point the pair had clearly established a special bond.
Their closeness became apparent when Christian entered Bandit’s pen.
The bull, who was only too happy to be petted, rested his head on the rescuer’s leg.
It was almost as if he was saying thank you.
These two, by the looks of it, are friends for life.
Despite the pair’s special bond, though, Bandit is by no means a one-off, with the
Gut Aiderbichl sanctuary having rescued over 500 bulls, cows and calves from similarly
oppressive conditions.
Moreover, as this bull’s heartwarming story reveals, Christian and his colleagues are
doing a fantastic – and clearly important – job.