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Massive hunt for a miniature cow results in Daisy May returning home

Her owners aren’t sure what led to the disappearance of Daisy May, their four-month-old miniature Scottish Highland calf. But they are relieved to have her back after three days of searching and worrying.

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Daisy May is new to the 60-acre farm in Artondale. She came from a farm in Rainier to her new home just before Mother’s Day as a gift for Shawn Schuler.

She was in her paddock, the one right next to her friends: miniature donkey Jack Jack and miniature horse Peaches. But by noon on May 17, she was gone.

Daisy May, a four-month-old miniature Scottish Highland calf, is still adjusting to her new home. She was missing for three days, was found, and is now safely housed in the barn of her 60-acre farm in Artondale. Brittney Schuler, pictured with Daisy May, said that the family plans to get a companion for her. Photo by Marsha Hart

Social media sleuths

The Schuler family searched the property but couldn’t find her.

“There were no hoofprints, and after about an hour I said we’ve got to call this in, hoping that someone would see her and report it,” said Brittney Schuler, Shawn’s daughter.

She also posted photos of Daisy May in every Gig Harbor Facebook group she could find. The response was overwhelming. Soon, television and newspapers were calling Schuler for interviews to help spread the word. 

“I didn’t file a formal police report, because I thought she was just missing,” Schuler said. “People were driving around to see if they could find her, calling to ask if I needed help, and a few people reached out to say that they wrangle cattle professionally, and could help.”

Nate Graves wrangles Daisy May, a four-month-old miniature Scottish Highland calf that was missing for three days. The calf gave a crowd of about 20 helpers a 30-minute run as she went deeper into the forest on Monday. Photo courtesy of Brittney Schuler

Someone suggested using a thermal drone to search for Daisy May. So she got in touch with a company called Seek and Rescue. Stephanie Seek came down from the headquarters in Newcastle with a thermal drone. 

“She put her drone up, and spent about five hours searching with no luck,” Schuler said. “She took a short break, and came back and searched some more. She covered a 1 1/2 mile radius, and no cow.”

A Daisy May spotting

Three days later, Schuler’s friend and neighbor Hannah Green called to report a Daisy May spotting. Schuler was at work when she got the call, but about 20 friends and family members showed up to help in the search. 

When her boss, Nate Graves, heard that Daisy May had been spotted, he was eager to help as well.

“Jokingly, I was like, ‘I’m not missing my opportunity to wrangle a cow,’” Graves said. “We found her, and got her surrounded, and we were trying to corner her. But she’s skittish of people, and she was darting past everyone. She started going back behind houses and into the woods, and she’s tiny, so she can go under brambles. She made it 20 feet back in the woods, and she came across a log that she couldn’t get over, and I jumped on top of her and pulled a rope around her neck and tied her feet until we could get her out.”

Chris Schuler carries miniature Scottish Highland calf Daisy May from the woods near the farm where she was found on Monday. She was missing for three days. Daisy May was a Mother’s Day gift to Chris’s wife, Shawn. Photo courtesy of Brittney Schuler

Graves is not a cowboy, and has no experience with cattle wrangling, but he said he has been to several rodeos. 

“I would snap like a twig,” he said of the idea of becoming a rodeo competitor.

Theft, or a jail break?

Daisy May weighs around 100 pounds now, and she will grow to be approximately 300 pounds, and up to 7 inches taller than she currently stands. Eventually she will have the iconic long horns of a Scottish Highland cow, but miniature.

Schuler is still not sure if someone took Daisy May and returned her or if she simply escaped. She said that it seemed suspicious that she was dry and clean when they found her, despite the rainy and windy weather in those three days Daisy May was missing.

Daisy May is safe, in the barn where she will reside until the Schulers can harness-train her, and find her a companion. 

“They are herd animals,” Schuler said. “We are searching for another miniature Highland, and it’s urgent. We need to get her a friend.”