Benjy, a bull on the west coast of Ireland who failed to procreate because he preferred the company of other bulls, has been saved from the slaughterhouse by none other than The Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon.
Benjy’s predicament won the hearts and wallets of Twitter users after the Connaught Telegraph reported that the Charolais bull was being fattened for the slaughterhouse because he was more interested in bulls than heifers.
“The non-performing Charlolais, purchased by a south Mayo farmer, was heading for the slaughterhouse for failing to inseminate even one of a herd of cows which he was freely mixing with,” the Connaught Telegraph reported.
“To the dismay of its owner, Benjy displayed sexual urges for other male cattle rather than cows or heifers. The farmer involved, who wants to remain anonymous, had to bring in a new bull to inseminate his herd after Benjy, which had been passed as fertile in earlier tests, showed no interest in the task.”
A crowdfunding campaign was begun by Ireland-based Animal Rights Action Network, the Hillside Animal Sanctuary and magazine TheGayUK to raise US$7,800 and send Benjy to a sanctuary in the UK where he could live out his days in peace.
Campaign to #SaveBeny goes viral
More than 250 people donated to the fund but it wasn’t enough. The campaign was stg£1,000 short of its target when writer and producer Simon heard about the bull’s plight and donated stg£5,000.
“PETA told me about Benjy and I felt compelled to help. All animals have a dire destiny in the meat trade, but to kill this bull because he is gay would’ve been a double tragedy.”
Simon, who has been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer, has been giving away his fortune to causes he is passionate about and runs his own animal rescue organisation Sam Simon Foundation to rescue stray dogs in California.
The saved Benjy is expected to be transferred to the UK before Christmas.
Simon co-created the cult cartoon series The Simpsons in 1989 with Matt Groening and James L Brooks, assembling a crack team of writers, and has been described as the “unsung hero” by former Simpson director Brad Bird.
