Lauren O'Neil | CBC
An Irish breeding bull believed to be homosexual by its owner is no longer set to become hamburgers, thanks to Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon.
"Benjy the gay bull" first made headlines last week after an Irish newspaper reported that he was being sent to a slaughterhouse for failing to impregnate any heifers on a local farm.
According to the Independent, a County Mayo farmer had purchased the pedigree Charolais bull sometime last year in the hopes of breeding more calves.
Unfortunately, Benjy appeared to prefer mating with other bulls, as opposed to the farmer's cows.
After having him tested for medical problems, the farmer became "resigned to the animal’s sexuality."
“At first I didn’t take seriously that the bull could be gay but after seeking advice I know this can happen,” said the unnamed farmer to the Independent. "The bull is now too old to castrate and turn into a bullock so I will keep him for the factory."
Upon learning of the bull's plight, animal rights activists and gay rights activists sprung into action.
Ireland's Animal Rights Action Network and an online magazine called TheGayUK teamed up the day after Benjy's story ran in the Independent to launch a social media-driven fundraising campaign called #SaveBenjy.
The group's goal was to crowd fund at least £5,000 to purchase the bull and relocate him within England's Hillside Animal Sanctuary, which ARAN descibes as "one of the UK’s most experienced and largest farm animal sanctuaries."
"The plight of little Benjy is hitting the hearts and households of Irish society with the reality of what will face this innocent boy if someone somewhere doesn't step in," says ARAN's John Carmody in a statement published by TheGayUK. "As a gay man myself, I know only too well what it is like to be treated indifferently, that's why I hope we can give Benjy a second chance in life whilst helping to bring attention to the problems facing all gay people everywhere around the world, and of course the many other Benjy's that are brought to slaughter on a daily basis who are not so lucky."
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