Escaped 500-Pound Calf Lured Back To 9-Year-Old Owner
EPPING, N.H. (CBS) – A New Hampshire boy has his prized calf back, days after it ran away leaving him heartbroken.
Nine-year-old Ryan Hoelzel saved up $350 to buy the 500-pound, one-year-old cow he named Panda.
"I did it with all my Christmas money, Easter money, birthday money, and any kind of money I got," the fourth-grade student from Epping told WBZ-TV.
But minutes after he bought Panda, the calf jumped a fence and escaped the family farm.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Drew Moholland talks to Ryan
Calf Comes Home
Dozens of neighbors and friends, and even police helped in the search.
Panda returned Thursday night, enticed by a female.
"The gentleman that we got him from brought over another heifer and put her out in a pen and it has lured him back in," Ryan's mother Mary told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Friday.
"I was kinda like… yesss!" Ryan told WBZ.
Panda spent the night on the Hoelzel's farm, but he won't be staying for long.
"(Ryan) knows he can't keep him because (Panda) just jumps our fences and he is a little too big for Ryan," Mary said.
Hoelzel had planned to show Panda in several 4-H fairs this summer, but he will have to be returned to his original owner.
Mary said the deadline for entering the 4-H program is June 1, so they're not sure if Ryan is going to be able to show in competitions this year.
But, he can go visit Panda at the farm.
"I am very proud of him," Mary said. "He has been such a trooper through all of this."
Ryan said he's not mad at Panda for running away.
"He's curious," Ryan told WBZ. "He also has the friendliest set of eyes."
