TEGA CAY, SC – It’s not every day you see Scottish Highland cows roaming the streets, but that’s exactly what happened three weeks ago when two cows, Connie and Isla, made an unexpected appearance in Tega Cay after a delivery mishap.
Cody Cooper and his wife CiCi purchased a small farm, located in Fort Mill with property lines bordering Tega Cay. Shortly after taking delivery of Connie and Isla, the unfamiliar surroundings spooked the gentle animals, leading to an eventful search around the neighborhood.
“We had people chasing them all over Tega Cay,” Cody recounted.
The Coopers moved to the area from Charleston five months ago with their two young children. Cody, who grew up farming, had recently decided to return to his roots. The Coopers had chosen Highland cows for their farm because of their smaller size and gentle nature.
Despite their typically calm demeanor, the cows’ unfamiliarity with the area and the stress of the prolonged chase proved overwhelming, leading to Isla’s collapse and tragic death from heat exhaustion.
With Connie still roaming the community, Cody spent three exhausting weeks trying to bring her home. He set up trail cameras, tracked her movements, and built corral traps stocked with salt licks, water, grain, and hay. Yet, each time Connie sensed a trap, she would steer clear. “She finally settled in one area, so we arranged for a professional wrangler to assist,” Cody explained
Early one morning, they managed to coax Connie out of hiding, rope her, and bring her home safely.
The ordeal has brought the Coopers closer to the community of Tega Cay and Fort Mill. “The fire department and police were great. They helped calm the situation, and the community really came together,” Cody shared.”It’s been amazing seeing the support. We’re new here, and getting to know more people because of this has been incredible,” Cody added.
Although many locals have expressed interest in visiting the farm to meet Connie, the Coopers have decided to wait until the cows are fully settled before allowing public visits. In the meantime, those wanting to follow their farm journey can do so by visiting Carolina Fitness Farm on Instagram and Facebook.
Tega Cay’s own Model A Brewing plans to brew a special beer and name it after Connie in the near future. In addition, the brewery has launched a GoFundMe to raise funds for purchasing a new companion for her. Any donations will ensure Connie has the companionship she needs and a happy ending to what has surely been a very stressful time for her and the Cooper family.
For now, the Coopers are just grateful for the community’s warmth and support. “We couldn’t have done this without everyone’s help,” Cody said.
