Calf Found Hidden in Car Backseat Gets a New Home

The calf, discovered during a bizarre encounter with a man wanted on felony drug charges, is now being transferred to PETA and will live at a sanctuary

A calf found when investigators searched the car of a man wanted on felony drug charges will be released to PETA and placed in an animal sanctuary, according to animal services officials.

The rightful owner never came forward, so the baby cow is now being transferred to a sanctuary in Southern California, according to Riverside County Animal Services.

Sgt. Cynthia Lee of Riverside County Animal Services responded to the call about two weeks ago. Despite being a 16-year veteran, this was a first for her, said John Welsh, senior public information specialist.

A 31-year-old man was arrested when he could not provide proof of ownership of the 3-day-old female calf, according to a statement from the Riverside County Animal Shelter. The man claimed to have bought the 150-pound calf at a gas station, but the animal’s identification tags seemed to have been "forcefully removed from its ears."

This led investigators and animal service officials to believe the calf was stolen, according to a statement from the Riverside Police Department. The calf was taken to an animal foster care home at a diary farm in Ontario, police said.

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