In 2017, six steers in St. Louis were sent to a slaughterhouse, but they had other plans. Led by a huge steer named Chico, six of them busted out, supposedly agitated by the rumblings of an approaching thunderstorm. Likely scared by their freedom and the ruckus they had caused, the steer ran through the streets of St. Louis for hours. They evaded their pursuers and captured the attention of the media, animal lovers, and the community. Authorities eventually rounded the crew up, but by then the public had also started a campaign for their freedom. After several attempts from rescue organizations to negotiate with the slaughterhouse failed, The Gentle Barn, an animal rescue organization, stepped in. Founders Ellie Laks and Jay Weiner had 24 hours to find the steer a new home, and that they did. The six were sent to a rescue center until enough funds could be raised to build a new facility in Missouri especially for them. One steer, known as Spirit, was injured during the roundup and couldn’t be saved, but today the remaining five steers are happily living just a short drive from the slaughterhouse where they escaped.
