Bull Was Chained Up His Entire Life – Watch What Happens When He’s Set Free

Most animal lovers know animals have complex feelings and just as much right to live as humans do. However, people still need to eat, and many opt for meat, which makes pushing animal rights a challenge. Fortunately, good-hearted individuals like Christain exist, who saved a bull named Bandit in 2016.

Bandit the Bull’s Sad Life

Between late 2015 and early 2016, Christian stumbled upon a tough and heartbreaking situation. He was faced with a choice, to leave Bandit the bull behind to live a life of misery. Bandit the bull had never been outdoors or tasted fresh grass. Instead, the sweet animal spent his days and nights in a narrow cage, awaiting his fate.

Bandit the Bull’s Savior

Incredibly, Christian heard about Bandit the bull, and the pair instantly connected upon meeting. Christian went to greet the bull and was greeted with soft licks in his hand. Christian knew he couldn’t leave the bull behind and captured the sweet moment on camera.

The Bull Shows Gratitude

Christian signaled to the Bull he wasn’t there to harm him. Instead, he was planning to take him home. However, Bandit the bull, understandably, felt some apprehension as the kind-hearted man approached him. The video is a heartwarming testament to how incredibly smart, aware, and delicate animals are, particularly when their lives are at stake.

Capturing the World’s Attention

The video has more than 28 million views on YouTube and viewers have fallen in love with Bandit the Bull’s seemingly sweet spirit. He can be seen “dancing” in the video, appearing to show gratitude for the possibility of a joyful and fulfilling life.

Cows and Bulls are Aware

While it may seem strange to some, others know just how special animals can be and how much value they can add to the lives of the people around them. Moreover, studies have shown animals have similar feelings, stress responses, and societies as people, creating a complexity around the notion of animals only being food. For example, a 2014 study conducted by Daniel Weary, a professor in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia in Canada, yielded exciting results.

The findings reflected that, like people, cows and bulls can suffer from irreversible brain changes due to “early life trauma.” Instead, the cows and bulls in the study “were deeply affected by the emotional and physical pain of early separation from their mothers and dehorning, which changed the brain in a way that led to a negative cognitive bias akin to pessimism.”

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Incredible Animals

While Bandit the Bull has shown true emotion, several animals have been known to exhibit “human-like” behaviors. For instance, chimpanzees have long been known to act like humans. They use tools, create social hierarchies, and delegate tasks such as child rearing or finding food to specific members. Interestingly, a 2020 study found that aging male chimpanzees had a “preference for more meaningful social interactions with older friends in a smaller group.” This is not unlike people who agree that quality is more important than quantity in terms of friends and aging.

Elephants

Elephants are majestic beings that bring joy to my heart. They’re compassionate and wise, but a 2006 study found that they’re also self-aware. Researchers discovered that many Asian elephant participants could recognize themselves in a mirror.

Horses

Meanwhile, a 2018 study on horses found they recognized voices, facial expressions, and the emotional states of humans. “Our study could contribute to the understanding of how humans and companion animals send and receive emotional signals to deepen our relationships, which could help establish a better relationship that emphasizes the well-being of animals,” Ayaka Takimoto, co-author of the study, explained.

Lastly, Meerkats

While The Lion King was a powerful, if not emotional, movie, a couple of characters brought some comedic relief, Pumba the Warthog and Timon the Meerkat. While beloved, goofy creatures, it turns out that real-life meerkats lead an astonishingly complex life full of social circles, jobs, and taking turns so others can have a break.

These animals, along with Bandit the Bull, prove the complex range of emotions felt by animals and the powerful instincts that seemingly connect all species on this beautiful, admittedly in need of more care and compassion planet.

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