The Tennesee Cow Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit farm animal rescue in McMinnville, TN.
Est. April 2021
As a newly established rescue, we are in desperate need of funding from donations, sponsorships and grants to provide a safe and loving home to cows that were previously raised in traditional farming environments. Our sanctuary provides a forever pasture where cows can rehabilitate, rest, and live their lives to the fullest.
We currently have cows with severe vision loss due to illness, two born blind cows, one of which is also mentally impaired, a handicapped mini-cow, a 21-year-old breeding cow who had 20 babies in 18 years (twins twice), and a cow who was attacked by wild dogs as a calf, causing the loss of her ears and severely damaging her tongue.
The cows are happy to host classes and groups by appointment and visitors can register for a farm tour most Sundays on our visit page.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Residents at Tennessee Cow Rescue
ELIZABETH is the cow who started it all. Queen E is the reason Denise started the cow rescue and will always be top cow of the Pasture. She mothers the other heifers, so we frequently call her Momma. Before we lived at the farm, we would go to see Elizabeth every day and she ran to us with excitement. Now that she is grown, and has friends to occupy her time, she completely ignores us. So, when we can get in a hug or a kiss it makes it extra special.
AGNES ANGUS is a sweet girl who came to us shortly after we arrived at the farm. We were eager to find a friend for Elizabeth because we knew she was lonely. Agnes was about four months old when she arrived and, despite being bottle-fed, showed no signs of trust in humans. According to the girl attempting to bottle feed her, she purchased her at a cattle auction when she was only a few days old. Agnes warmed up to us within a few weeks, settling down and gaining weight. She arrived very thin, and her coat had no shine. Now, she's a dark beauty with the most intense and soulful big brown eyes.
SIMONE came to us from a 3,000 cow factory dairy farm at the end of July. She and Alyssa are blind from a severe pink eye infection. Simone's vision is better than Alyssa's; she can see about 30%. Simone and Alyssa were in quarantine until they were healthy, and then we introduced them to Elizabeth and Agnes. Simone is the most intelligent cow on the farm and the easiest to handle. She loves getting brushed and welcomes any attention and love.
ALYSSA came to us, along with Simone, from a 3,000 cow factory dairy farm at the end of July 2021. Her blindness came from a severe pink eye infection. When she arrived, her eyes were infected and she was covered in ringworm. Simone and Alyssa were in quarantine until they were healthy, which took almost three months. She and Simone are inseparable. They arrived terrified and scared of people, but every day they get a bit stronger and more trusting. They grew up in a very small feedlot with no grass, trees, or shade but now have acres of tall grass and rolling hills to call home. We saved these girls from certain death.
SANJAY is a mini cow-calf who could not stand or walk when I picked him up on his second day. He lived in the RV with Buddha and Denise for months. His front right leg was damaged during a difficult birth which resulted in him getting stuck in the birth canal long enough that they thought he was dead. Luckily, they noticed he kicked his foot and they quickly moved to a cesarian birth to save him. As he continues to grow, we need to determine if he can support his weight on three legs. He may need amputation and/or the aid of prosthetics.
FERNANDO came to us from a woman who takes bull calves from a dairy farm, where they are usually killed, and sells them for profit. She sells the calves to families who want to have a meat cow and she will field slaughter the cows when they are grown at her farm. We found cow bones with cut-off heads in a mound on her property. Fernando become very sick after his transport to the farm and we almost lost him. Today, he is happy and healthy and living in the new calf pasture with Sanjay.
GRACE is eighteen or nineteen years old and in her lifetime she has birthed twenty calves (twins twice) meaning that she was pregnant most of her life. She came to live with us after the famer who owned her all of her life knew that Frankie should be her last calf. Grace earned the farmer enough money with her calves that the farmer felt she deserved to live a happy retirement life and he donated her to the rescue.
FRANKIE is the son of our resident Mamma, Grace. They came together to the farm in November 2022. A local farmer asked if he could retire his old girl here with us; she had twenty babies (twins twice) in 18 years at his farm. He felt she deserved better than the slaughterhouse and we AGREE! Our donors raised the money to buy Frankie so she could keep her last wee little baby. His Daddy, Bully, is 2200 lbs so I don't think Frankie will be wee little for long. Grace is an Angus and Bully is a Limousin so that makes Frankie what they call a LimFlex.
BUDDHA has lived with Denise since she rescued him in January 2015. He is an Old English Sheepdog/St. Bernard mix. Buddha weighs 160lbs. He's very sweet when you get to know him, but he is on guard and can be a bit prickly when you first meet him. Buddha is happy to be an inside dog and he leaves the outside dog duties for Akiva.
LITTLE is a Black Bellied Barbados Sheep who lives with Sanjay. Little was donated to the nonprofit so Sanjay could have a permanent live-in friend. Little Lamb has made the greatest addition to the "cow" farm. Now we have to call ourselves a "farm animal rescue". :)
ELLIE came to us from a local woman who rescues cats and after two months of Ellie and Didi being in her house, they would not allow her to go anywhere near them. She asked if they could come and live here on the farm and of course, we said yes. Ellie lives in the storage closet with Sanjay and Little. She can often be found asleep in the hay rack. So much for the expensive cat beds!
DIDI came here with her sister Ellie in August 2022. They were feral and didn't want anything to do with people and couldn't be adopted. Eventually, Denise won them over. Because it was so difficult to catch her, she didn't go with the rest of the cats for spaying and neutering, and guess what...she had kittens (Frenchie, Halston, Isla, and Jack). All the kittens will stay here with Mom and live a happy farm cat life. Didi was Denise's nickname growing up.
AKIVA is our LSD (Live Stock Dog) Puppy in Training. He was donated to the nonprofit so that he could protect our handicapped mini cow, Sanjay. Akiva is an Anatolian Akbash Shepherd. Akiva means "Defender". Most LSD never leave the farm but Akiva needs to be a bit more worldly since we have people come here to visit. We are learning to go inside buildings, ride in cars, go to the vet and this weekend, puppy training starts.
ACE is Chevy's brother. He is a very good mouse hunter. The boys live in the garage and have the cutest heated barn houses. They frequently come in the house for some treats and snuggles but for the most part, the cats all enjoy living outdoors. They are all well cared for so they stay pretty close to home.
CHEVY is Cat #1 here on the farm. He is the best behaved and gets in the least trouble. He also comes in for a morning hug every day! Chevy and Ace are brothers. In case you didn't notice, the cats are all named in alphabetical order. We are missing their sister, Bella...she disappeared when Denise was on a business trip.
FAITH was born blind. Her KY farmer took her to the sale barn at 2 days old because of her blindness. At the sale barn, no one wanted to buy her. The last man there paid $25 for her and then left her in a hot hauler in June TN heat for two days before taking her to a neighbor. Miraculously, and thankfully, the neighbor was able to save her and bring her to us here at TCR. In her first month of life, she took four trips in a scary hauler, ending up someplace new each time. She arrived dazed, confused, and spinning in circles. Four and a half months later, she is calm and happy. Denise named her Blind Faith because, most days, that's what it takes to keep this farm running.
ANNIE Coming Soon!
MURPHY Coming soon!
RUBY Coming soon!
Stop by our new store.
Stop by our new store.
View our store and see the new Tennessee Cow Rescue and Samma Farm logo merchandise and our original artwork items.
Proceeds support the cows!