Cow-cuddling as stress relief: It's 'naturally relaxing,' says an animal sanctuary

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'Fox & Friends' cuddles with cows

The 'Fox & Friends Weekend' Team take cow therapy, discuss its benefits, and cuddle with Angel, Paula Deen, and Pumpkin from Rose Bridge Farm & Sanctuary.

Moo-ve over, goat yoga: There's a new stress-relieving farm animal in town. 

Cows — baby cows, to be exact. 

"Fox & Friends Weekend" hosts on Saturday, Sat. 24, 2022, were joined by three very special guests: three calves from the Rose Bridge Farm & Sanctuary in Dresher, Penn.  

The calves — named Angel, Paula Deen, and Pumpkin — serve as therapy cows.

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All of the calves shown on the program — just a month old — are rescue animals. 

"So this is cow therapy. Why do people need cow therapy?" asked cohost Rachel Campos-Duffy. 

Close-up of cows. "When you cuddle with a cow," said one farmer, "your brain releases Oxytocin, and it just makes you feel a heavy sense of bond and love with the cow." (iStock)

The answer, according to farmer Casey Rockwell of Rose Bridge Farm & Sanctuary, is rooted in science. 

"Cows have a lower heart rate than humans, so it's naturally relaxing to cuddle with them and spend time with them," she said. 

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"When you cuddle with a cow," she continued, "your brain releases Oxytocin, and it just makes you feel a heavy sense of bond and love with the cow."

"When you cuddle with a cow, your brain releases oxytocin."

Cohost Pete Hegseth spent some time cuddling the black-and-white calf named Paula Deen. 

A noted chorus of "awws" came from his cohosts and the crowd at Fox Square. 

Cows in a pasture. Cows like to be petted and scratched under their chins, according to farmers from the Rose Bridge Farm and Sanctuary.  (iStock )

"This is the first time I've felt good all show," he joked. 

"I can finally relax." 

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Cain was "steer-ed" to Pumpkin, a red calf, and after some initial trepidation, Campos-Duffy embraced Angel, who is red and white. 

Cows, much like cats and dogs, like to be petted and scratched under their chins, said farmer Natalie Whitman. 

Staff from the animal sanctuary in Pennsylvania said that "anyone" is a good candidate for cow-cuddle therapy, as demonstrated on "Fox and Friends Weekend" on Sat., Sept. 24. 2022. (iStock)

"They're basically like giant puppies," she said. 

The staff from the animal sanctuary in Pennsylvania said that "anyone" is a good candidate for cow-cuddle therapy — and that to protect both the human and the cow, they typically have younger clients hold the calves. 

"Usually people are just so excited, because it's kind of unusual to see cows this young," said Rockwell. 

"They're only a month old." 

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The cows were rescued from a veal auction, the staff explained.

In addition to cow cuddling time, people can book "cuddle and feeding" sessions with the farm's other baby animals, including kittens, goats, horses and rabbits at the farm and animal sanctuary. 

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"Farm glamping" is also available at the Rose Bridge Farm & Sanctuary, according to its website — which sounds udder-ly delightful.