Cotton the lamb was raised by a 4-H student who simply couldn’t bear the thought of his beloved pet being auctioned off at the fair and slaughtered.

In a desperate cry for help, the boy reached out to legendary songwriter Diane Warren and begged her to save the lamb’s life. Meanwhile, 4-H pressured the boy’s parents to continue with plans to sell the lamb.

In response, animal rights group PETA protested the fair on behalf of Cotton and other animals facing the same fate. However, Cotton’s future continued to look grim as the day went on.

Unbeknownst to fairgoers and protesters alike, Warren had secretly outbid all of the butchers that were interested in buying Cotton. He was then relocated to Warren’s animal sanctuary, where he’s made friends with other lambs who were rescued from 4-H programs.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of one brave boy and the compassionate songwriter who stepped in at the last minute, Cotton will spend the rest of his life in the safety of the sanctuary’s caretakers, and the boy who raised him is welcome to visit anytime.