‘She’s like our family:’ Calf found abandoned in dumpster thrives with new loving family

HALIFAX COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ/Gray News) - A young calf is thriving after she was saved by a family from being abandoned in a dumpster.

Katie Jo is almost twice the size as she was when she was rescued by her new family.

It was the morning of Nov. 13 when her fate changed. On a routine trash trip, Halifax County resident Mike Lloyd stumbled upon the newborn calf at the bottom of one of the metal bins.

“I didn’t think she was going to make it, I’ll put it that way,” explained Mike Lloyd.

But through an “udder” miracle and help from Mike Lloyd and his parents, she was on the road to recovery.

“She got strong, and the next thing you know, she was able to be outside. She’s been outside and has been doing good ever since,” added Mike Lloyd.

They named her Katie Jo and decided to keep her in the backyard.

She’s now almost 4 months old and around 250 pounds, which is just a fifth of what she could end up weighing. But no matter how big she gets, she’ll always be their little girl.

“She’s like our family,” said Susan Lloyd, Mike Lloyd’s mother. “Nobody’s gonna take her away. She’s just like a little child.”

The Lloyds say they never found out who abandoned her, but finding her was meant to be.

“I’m glad we found her because nothing deserves to die like that,” said Mike Lloyd.

“Ain’t no way I could throw anything like that in a dump,” said Red Lloyd, Mike Lloyd’s father.

“You’re bound not to have a heart if you throw something like that in a dumpster,” added Susan Lloyd.

They say Katie Jo and their beagle, Lana, are still as close as ever. However, she shares the closest bond with Susan Lloyd, who takes care of her every day.

“She’s really fond of my momma. Usually around about 7:30 in the morning, she’s hollering, wanting her and at night time, too. She wants her to come out here with her,” explained Mike Lloyd.

The Lloyds say they plan to expand her fence and build a brand-new, bigger shed for her as she gets older.

Copyright 2025 WDBJ via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.