by Alan Jacques | alan@limerickpost.ie
ANIMAL rights activist John Carmody is calling on Limerick people to help save the life of a ‘gay bull’ that is destined for slaughter because he has shown no interest in cows and has a sexual preference for other bulls.
Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN), founded by Mr Carmody, last week responded to plans to destroy Benjy, a pedigree Charolais bull, purchased for purposes of breeding by a farmer in County Mayo.
ARAN has teamed up with one of the UK’s biggest online gay magazines THEGAYUK, and the Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norwich, to save Benjy.
The group has secured a deal with the owner of the bull so the animal can live out his life in peace. THEGAYUK have also launched an online campaign to raise funds to purchase the bull and transport him from Ireland to Britain and help with the lifelong cost of keeping Benjy at the animal sanctuary.
John Carmody said that Benjy’s plight is not only hitting the hearts of Irish people, but people worldwide and he has spoken to media sources from far and wide including RTE Radio One and Russia Today about the campaign.
“I can’t believe how international this has gone,” said Mr Carmody.
ARAN program co-ordinator Jackie Fitzgerald said that Benjy’s plight had touched hearts across the globe.
“Like every other animal, Benjy should be to be free of death, pain and suffering. We hope the people of Limerick get behind the fundraising drive to raise money to save Benjy,” she said.
At the time of going to press terminally ill Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon had donated €6,250 to the cause.
