Betty, Bailiwick’s beloved bison, passes away

CATSKILL―Betty was just a young American bison, less than a year old, when she was purchased at auction in 2006. Afflicted with cataracts and believed to have been raised for the meat industry, Betty instead found something few animals are fortunate enough to receive: a second chance.

That second chance became a lifetime.

For the next twenty years, Betty called Bailiwick Animal Park home. On Friday, July 10, she passed away peacefully of natural causes, leaving behind not only an empty pasture but a place in the hearts of the staff and thousands of visitors who came to know the gentle giant.

"She was part of the family," said animal care staff member Kat Raffiani. "She was very sweet and happy."

Those who worked with Betty remember an animal with a calm spirit and an easygoing personality.

"It was very cool caring for her," said fellow staff member Tiffany Donahue. "Not everyone gets to see a bison every day."

Betty wasn't difficult to please.

Thanks to generous produce donations from Hannaford, she enjoyed a wide variety of fruits and vegetables over the years.

"She wasn't a picky eater," Donahue recalled with a laugh.

If Betty had a weakness, however, it was for treats.

"Strawberries and apples seemed to be her favorites," Raffiani said.

Sharing Betty’s home was Noodle, the park's Texas Longhorn bull. Over the years, the two became constant companions, forming an unlikely friendship that delighted visitors and staff alike. Seeing Betty and Noodle together became part of the Bailiwick experience, a quiet reminder that friendship often appears in unexpected places.

Donahue and Raffiani smiled as they spoke about a fellow staff member Josie, whose love for Betty began long before she ever worked at the park.

As a child taking horseback riding lessons at Bailiwick, Josie had a tradition. Every visit included a stop to see Betty. Every single time.

The staff joked that Josie would have bought a season pass just to visit Betty and bring her treats. Years later, she found herself working alongside the very animal she had adored as a little girl.

Many children who stood in awe of Betty years ago have since returned with children of their own, eager to introduce them to the massive yet gentle bison that had become one of Bailiwick's best known residents.

Looking back, Donahue and Raffiani agreed on one thing above all else: Betty lived a good life. She spent nearly two decades surrounded by devoted caretakers, faithful companionship, tasty meals, and visitors who never stopped smiling when they saw her.

Her pasture may be quieter now, but the memories she leaves behind will continue to roam the grounds of Bailiwick Animal Park for years to come.