Animal lovers often argue that animals we use for food such as cows and chickens have as much of a fighting desire to live as human beings do.
A cow in south Poland has certainly proven that after craftily escaping being taken to a slaughterhouse and opting for a life alone on an island instead.
The cow made the most of a slip-up by slaughterhouse workers who forgot to tranquilize the cow when they arrived to take it away.
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As it was being taken out of its shed to be loaded onto a lorry, the cow rammed its way through a metal fence and escaped, leaving a farmer with a broken arm and bruised ribs. Clearly, this cow isn't one to be messed with.
WATCH THIS BABY MAKING FRIENDS WITH A COW:
According to the Polish news show Wiadomosci, the cow made a dash for the nearby Lake Nysa, close to the nearby town of Nysa.
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Observers said that the cow was seem to dive underwater as it made its way to an island in the middle of the lake. Who knew that cows a. knew how to do that and b. could do that?
The farmer, known only as Mr Lukasz, spent a week trying and failing to get the cow back before he gave up, making sure it had enough to eat to stay alive instead.
Apparently, when firefighters sailed to the island to try to retrieve the cow, it swam about 50m to a neighbouring strip of land.
Pawel Gotowski, deputy commander of the Nysa fire brigade, explained that the cow was obviously frightened, making it impossible for firefighters to get close to it.
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A vet called in to tranquilise the cow told the farmer it would take several days to get new gas cartridges to have a shot at capturing it.
Lukasz is understood to be reluctant to shoot the animal as that would mean losing money he would have got from selling it.
The cow's escapades have made it a famous friend - local politician and former singer, Pawel Kukiz, who has offered to save it from certain death.
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Kukiz said that if everyone in Poland were to show as much determination as the cow, the country would be much better off. You could put it that way...
"I am not a vegetarian, but fortitude and the will to fight for this cow's life is invaluable," Kukiz wrote in a Facebook post.
"Therefore, I decided to do everything to cause the cow to be delivered to a safe place and in the second stage, as a reward for her attitude, give her a guarantee of a long-term retirement and natural death."
Respect to that cow for making a break for it. Hopefully it ends up staying on the island rather than on somebody else's plate.
Featured Image Credit: PA