Cows have best friends.

I have always loved animals. I grew up in a small, rural area in the northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, where lakes and forests surrounded us on all sides. As a child,I found solace in nature and was fascinated by the animals who inhabited it. I remember watching tadpoles hatch in ponds, seeing painted turtles sun themselves on fallen trees along the shoreline, and marveling at the formations of Canada geese flying south at the first signs of winter. I loved the wildlife around me in the same way I loved the sweet yellow Labrador retriever my parents and I had raised from a puppy, who remained part of our family throughout my childhood. It felt natural to understand that both the wild animals around me and my companion animal were sentient beings deserving of respect. I lived alongside them every day. It took me several more years, however, to make that same connection with farmed animals. I was in my early twenties when that connection finally formed. I was back in northern Michigan after graduating from college, working full-time at a restaurant while studying for the law school admission exam. One night, as I was winding down after a long shift, an article appeared on my newsfeed. It explained that studies had found cows form close bonds and even have best friends they seek out in the pasture. I was stunned and clicked on several more articles. One discussed research showing that pigs are as intelligent as dogs. Lying in bed that night, something in me

shifted. Why did I value the life of my dog and the lives of the wildlife around me more than the life of a cow or pig? I would never dream of harming those animals, so why was I willing to contribute to the harm of farmed animals by eating meat? Shortly after reading that article, I gave up meat entirely. I kept returning to the same realization:

these were all sentient beings capable of pain, joy, fear, and love, and all deserving of lives free from exploitation and suffering. Once I entered law school and took my first animal law class, learned more about the realities of factory farming and the animals who suffered every day at these facilities. After that, I committed to a fully plant-based lifestyle and gave up all animal products. I knew I could not call myself an animal lover if I did not love all animals. Just as I could never harm my family’s yellow Labrador or the painted turtles sunning themselves on the shore, I could no longer justify harming a farmed animal. Making that connection changed the course of my life. Today, I am an animal rights attorney, and much of my work focuses on protecting farmed animals. Every day, I remain deeply grateful that I once learned cows have best friends.

Author: Maggie Marshall