A group of warm-hearted veterinary students are both heartbroken and furious this week after learning what happened to four baby cows they helped raise (and raise money for) as part of their education.

"In September my friends and I met Bambi, Pongo, Chester and Huey; 4 young male cows," wrote Racheal Seifried in the description of a GoFundMe campaign last month. 

"These cows are not livestock, they are kept in a small herd of 4 and loved on every day."

My program consists of endless smoooooches 💋🐮

A post shared by Dawn Tan (@dawnjtan) on Jan 28, 2018 at 8:38am PST

The calves were technically teaching aids, used as part of Seneca's Veterinary Technology program, but students grew to love them all the same.

"They act like large dogs, essentially," said first-year student Erika Landry to CTV on Wednesday. "They're very snugly, very docile. They're beautiful creatures."

Thus, when she and her fellow students found out that their calves would be auctioned off for meat at the end of the semester, they sprung into action.

Holy cow! When did this happen?! Baby Bambi is not a baby anymore! all grown up he’s a strong independent cow who don’t need no farmer 🐮 #cowsofinstagram

A post shared by Maria 🌺 (@holymariaxo) on Apr 8, 2018 at 4:09pm PDT

Within just one month, the students raised more than $3,000 to relocate Bambi, Pongo, Chester and Huey to the Love of Brian Farm Sanctuary. 

Everything was all lined up and good to go, or so thought the students and sanctuary workers, on Tuesday when they learned that the calves were gone. 

"This morning it was brought to our attention that the calves were sold to a veal farmer," wrote Seifried in an update. "The entire group devoting their time, money and knowledge to this campaign is heartbroken and hopes the boys have the most peaceful end to their life that is possible in a situation like this."

The students had meant to buy the cows themselves at auction, as they were not allowed to purchase them from the college itself.

Unfortunately, they were given the wrong date and lost out to a farmer.

Students were told by the program's coordinator, Emma Brown, during a meeting on Wednesday that the college could change its policy regarding cows in the future.

For now, all money raised by the students will be donated to Love of Brian for the rescue and care of future cows.