Stefan
every life that goes, is missing
Stefan’s life candle has stopped burning. After one last day, on which Stefan got everything he had always loved, he closed his eyes forever and left behind a deeply sad Peter-Günther and crying all his keepers and people who knew and loved him.
Six years ago our ox Stefan had been born in Tyrol. Two months later, he was brought to Bergheim in Salzburg and then the journey continued to a small town in Lower Austria. There he lived for a few months in a fattening farm, until one day a terrible fire destroyed everything. Half of the 70 or so bulls in the barn died a horrible fiery death. In that stable, where Stefan was standing, he was the only survivor. He was cared for by an animal-loving neighbor and a veterinarian after the horrific accident.
In November 2018, the Christmas market was just opening when Stefan was taken in. When he came out of the van, everyone held their breath. The most severe burns were visible on his body. Stefan looked around, remained calm and did not show us any shyness either. He seemed to like the stable full of straw and hay wonderfully.
Stefan's burned skin required daily care to prevent the extensive wounds from becoming infected. The care took a long time every day. The care ritual was to remain the same for years: Stefan was washed every day, his skin was treated with ointments, oils and the vet regularly checked the wounds. Nobody could know how much the fur would grow back. So our Stefan had to be protected all these years from cold, wetness and heat. He was a patient and lovable patient and all the animal caretakers loved him.
He grew up, made friends and seemed happy. His special friend was Peter-Günther, a bull who had come to us from breeding. From the first second on, a wonderful friendship developed between the two.
Stefan's back developed a scab months ago, which was treated by the vet, but unfortunately it grew back more and more rapidly. A few weeks ago, the caretakers noticed that Stefan was losing weight, he didn't want to eat properly, and he didn't really enjoy going out to pasture anymore. It was decided to take Stefan to the clinic to be on the safe side. There, an extremely aggressive tumor was diagnosed, the spread of which was probably already going on inside the body.
We brought Stefan home to his stable to Peter-Günther, and from now he was accompanied palliative. The growth was getting bigger every day and the worry about Stefan, and the decision that had to be made, was getting bigger and bigger. All the people who loved him knew that his life light was getting weaker and weaker.
Stefan wanted to go over the Rainbow Bridge and all his nurses and also Peter-Günther, accompanied him on his last way. Without struggling, our great one slowly closed his eyes forever and a soft sigh of relief took him, like a breath, to the Rainbow Bridge.
Dear Stefan,
we will all miss you very much. Your warm way of looking at your caregivers when they came in the morning to take care of your skin was special. You were a grateful animal, and you knew that each of your caregivers wanted only the best for you.
Your way of saying thank you was special: with your long, rough tongue, each one of us got a kiss on the hand. It was rough and wet and came from your heart.
Somehow you always made us feel that you were very happy that we were taking care of you and spoiling you. Sometimes we also had the feeling that you were smiling.
Peter-Günther is deeply saddened and we promise you that we will now take special care of your great friend.
Take care on your new pasture and look down sometimes to the earth, to your girls. We will never forget you.
