Gay rights advocates have teamed up with animal lovers in Ireland to save Benjy the ‘gay’ bull from the slaughterhouse. Activists say the badgered bovine’s only crime is his lack of libido with the cows.
A farmer in County Mayo, Ireland, had originally bought Benjy with the hope he would mate with cows on the farm.
Despite media reports Benjy is not yet out of trouble Please DONATE NOW to #SaveBenjyhttp://t.co/7ud6K0BzMu. Then RT pic.twitter.com/quHfhowm0J
— John Carmody (@Irishveganboy) November 14, 2014
To the farmer’s dismay, however, Benjy completely shunned the heifers in his vicinity, choosing instead to set his sights on a hornier beast.
After repeatedly failing to get Benjy to do his bidding, the unidentified farmer was forced to bring in a new bull to inseminate the herd. Looking to cut his losses, he decided to fatten Benjy up and send him to the slaughterhouse.
“Benjy had already been tested and everything was normal, so it became apparent that the problem lay elsewhere,” the Irish Independent cites the farmer as saying.
This is Benjy he's heading for slaughter because he prefers other bulls than cows #savebenjypic.twitter.com/wAfL6XDk7a
— scottie (@scottoxton) November 12, 2014
#SaveBenjypic.twitter.com/bs9CbIGVxv
— TERRY HUNTER★☼☽☮♥♬✿✌ (@TerryHunter) November 8, 2014
The farmer, who withheld his identity to avoid becoming the butt of too many jokes, was given an offer for Benjy by the local butcher, but declined.
“At first I didn’t take seriously that the bull could be gay, but after seeking advice I know this can happen,” he said.
So far, they’ve raised £2,290 of the £5,000 target via a Crowdfunder campaign. They hope to raise the necessary sum by December 10 in order to see Benjy in greener pastures before Christmas.
I think @JenniferMaguire and @Quichewalsh can take some credit for this!! #SaveBenjypic.twitter.com/ibgupSbSY4
— BreakfastRepublic2fm (@Republic2fm) November 14, 2014
After stories surrounding Benjy surfaced last week, the Irish Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) joined forces with TheGayUK magazine to take the bull by the horns and save Benjy from a less-than-fabulous fate.
The activists decided the best way to keep Benjy safe and sound was to take him off the farmer’s hands and relocate him to the Hillside Sanctuary in Norwich, England.
So far, they’ve raised £2,290 of the £5,000 target via a Crowdfunder campaign. They hope to raise the necessary sum by December 10 in order to see Benjy in greener pastures before Christmas.
What are all you gobdaws who are so anxious to #SaveBenjy going to do about all the heterosexual cattle slaughtered every day? #growup
— Fergie McDonnell (@Fergiemcd) November 13, 2014