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T-bone the cow rescued from frozen fate in…
Monday, June 29th 2026

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T-bone the cow rescued from frozen fate in Colorado lake

CSU veterinarians and Poudre Fire Authority firefighters tend to T-Bone the cow after she was rescued from a frozen lake south of Fort Collins. <!--IPTC: The Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins rescued a cow named T-Bone from a frozen lake Friday evening. The 911 call came in just before 5 p.m. A cow was stuck in the lake dispatchers were told. The first crews arrived at the Island Lake Marine and Sports just off of Interstate 25, to find a large Hereford cow stuck in a partially frozen pond at the bottom of a 25 foot embankment. Owners told crews that 14-year-old T-Bone had been stuck for nearly five hours and was suffering from hypothermia and shock. Fire crews immediately went to work creating a plan. The plan involved firefighters setting up a “low-angle” mechanical advantage rope rescue system anchored to a fire truck, according to a news release from the fire department. When the system was set up, it took more than a dozen firefighters including some in cold-water rescue suits to help free T-Bone and get her to the top. She was met on level ground by veterniarians from Colorado State University, who covered her with a tarp to warm her up. At one point it looked like she wouldn’t make it; her heart rate dropping to 30 beats per minute lower than the average 60 to 70. The CSU veterinarians didn’t give up. After warming T-Bone back up, administering IV fluids, and giving her a good meal, her heartbeat has increased to about 80 beats per minute. T-Bone’s prognosis now looks good, according to the release, but it is still unknown when T-Bone will be healthy enough to return to her owner. Yesenia Robles, The Denver Post-->
CSU veterinarians and Poudre Fire Authority firefighters tend to T-Bone the cow after she was rescued from a frozen lake south of Fort Collins. <!–IPTC: The Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins rescued a cow named T-Bone from a frozen lake Friday evening. The 911 call came in just before 5 p.m. A cow was stuck in the lake dispatchers were told. The first crews arrived at the Island Lake Marine and Sports just off of Interstate 25, to find a large Hereford cow stuck in a partially frozen pond at the bottom of a 25 foot embankment. Owners told crews that 14-year-old T-Bone had been stuck for nearly five hours and was suffering from hypothermia and shock. Fire crews immediately went to work creating a plan. The plan involved firefighters setting up a “low-angle” mechanical advantage rope rescue system anchored to a fire truck, according to a news release from the fire department. When the system was set up, it took more than a dozen firefighters including some in cold-water rescue suits to help free T-Bone and get her to the top. She was met on level ground by veterniarians from Colorado State University, who covered her with a tarp to warm her up. At one point it looked like she wouldn’t make it; her heart rate dropping to 30 beats per minute lower than the average 60 to 70. The CSU veterinarians didn’t give up. After warming T-Bone back up, administering IV fluids, and giving her a good meal, her heartbeat has increased to about 80 beats per minute. T-Bone’s prognosis now looks good, according to the release, but it is still unknown when T-Bone will be healthy enough to return to her owner. Yesenia Robles, The Denver Post–>
By | newsroom@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
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The Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins rescued a cow named T-Bone from a frozen lake Friday evening.

The 911 call came in just before 5 p.m. A cow was stuck in the lake, dispatchers were told.

The first crews arrived at Island Lake Marine and Sports, west of Interstate 25, to find a large Hereford cow stuck in a partially frozen lake at the bottom of a 25-foot embankment.

Owners told crews that 14-year-old T-Bone had been stuck for nearly five hours and was suffering from hypothermia and shock.

Fire crews went to work creating a rescue plan.

The plan involved firefighters setting up a “low-angle” mechanical rope rescue system anchored to a firetruck, according to a news release from the fire department.

When the system was set up, it took more than a dozen firefighters, including some in cold-water rescue suits, to help free T-Bone and get her to the top.

At one point, it looked like she wouldn’t make it. Her heart rate had dropped to 30 beats per minute instead an average of 60 to 70 beats.

CSU veterinarians at the scene didn’t give up. After warming T-Bone, administering IV fluids and giving her a good meal, T-Bone’s prognosis looked good, according to the news release. Yesenia Robles, The Denver Post

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