Remember When a Minnesota Cow Was an Attraction at Disney World?

The year was 1984. Born on a farm in Edgerton, located in Southern Minnesota, Minnie Moo was a Holstein cow with a unique pattern. On her left side was a near perfect black spot in the shape of Mickey Mouse's iconic head and ears.

Unfortunately Minnie Moo wasn't a  great milk producer, so the plan was to send her to the slaughter house. In 1988 the families niece noticed Minnie's unique markings and wrote a letter and sent pictures to the Disney corporation, suggesting that they use her in one of their attractions to change her fate.

In 1990, the Walt Disney Company purchased Minnie for an undisclosed amount, proceeding to move her to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to be included in Grandma Duck's Petting Farm in the Mickey's Starland area of Walt Disney World, where she became a popular attraction for Disney fans.

But Minnie Moo's happily ever after wasn't secured yet.

Grandma Duck's Petting Farm was set for demolition in 1996 to make way for a new roller coaster, and Minnie had to once again be relocated. She was moved to Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground's Tri-Circle D Ranch, where her loving fans came to see her for years to come.

Minnie Moo passed away from natural causes in 2001 at the age of 17. The Walt Disney Company made no official notice of her passing, with Disney spokesman John McClintock saying that "it was too sensitive a subject". The petting zoo she lived in closed in 2005 with all the animals moving to Animal Kingdom.

If you are heading down to Florida you can still pay your respects to the Minnesota cow via the plaque they have inside the trophy room of Fort Wilderness.

(DisneyWiki Fandom Page for Minnie Moo)