That might help explain why the herd was not there to protect it from idjits.
That's just what I was thinking. If it hadn't been rejected Momma would have been around to say no to their little plan.
Would also maybe explain why it let them put it in the SUV and not mess it up - it was probably already half-dead, and might actually have been cold, but more from starvation/dehydration because it hadn't nursed in way too long.
Which might explain why it was approaching people. They were at least doing SOME physical things other than chase it off.