Bruce

Bruce was the king of the shy guys—our true gentle giant. Because of his sensitive and timid nature, Bruce found his chosen family in our small flock of sheep. Whenever we saw Bruce, we also saw no less than three sheep beside him, always including his very best friend, Matty.

We don’t know much about Bruce’s history, aside from the fact that he was seized from a farm where the proprietor had a backlog of unpaid fines related to animal abuse and neglect. We can only imagine that Bruce was treated very badly by humans for most of his life prior to coming to the sanctuary, as he was extremely cautious and slow to extend his trust.

Bruce was easily our tallest steer, but you might not have known it because he usually made himself look a lot smaller than he was by hanging his head low and dropping his shoulders. Bruce’s body language spoke volumes about the way humans must have made him feel in the past.

Bruce’s sense of safety increased immeasurably after he first came to us, and it was evident in the beautiful moments when he stood tall, ran bucking through the pasture with glee, relaxed peacefully with “his flock,” or cuddled with a human companion.

Any of Bruce’s caretakers will tell you that earning his trust was among the greatest honors of their sanctuary work. Rest in love, Bruce.