Page 40 - Hillside 2015 20th Anniversary Newsletter

Bulls not producing calves usually end up in the slaughterhouse... We first heard about Benjy when ‘Gay UK’ got in touch, telling us
Unless they come to Hillside! they had heard about a bull that was going to be sent for slaughter
because a vet had pronounced him ‘gay’ after he failed to
Benjy... impregnate his companion cows. Of course we offered to help, but
there was still the matter of getting Benjy released from the farm
where he was being kept, and transporting him from Ireland to
Norfolk. Gay UK started a crowdfunding webpage, where people
could find out about Benjy’s plight to help save him and pay to have
him safely transported to Hillside. Happily people did donate and
soon Benjy arrived at his new home here in Norfolk. There was a
lot of press interest, mainly because he had been labelled as ‘gay’ but
we were just pleased that it got people talking about farm animals.
Benjy, who was castrated before he was allowed to graze freely with
a friendly herd of our rescued cows, seems to very much enjoy the
company of females. We’re not sure if he really is gay, but the fact
that someone thought he was, certainly saved his life!

Bernie’s story was similar. He had been sold as a prize bull for and Bernie...
18,000 guineas. However, it turned out his sperm count was so low
that he was unlikely to impregnate any cows! So, being an
‘expensive’ bull and not being able to do his 'job', the farmer claimed
from his insurers. This would usually have meant a one way ticket to
the slaughterhouse. However, luckily for the now 'not so prized'
Bernie, a Hillside supporter who worked in the insurance office,
persuaded the company to allow him to come to Hillside to live
with our other rescued cows. For both Benjy and Bernie, a
seemingly desperate situation ended well because people stepped in
to help. We are very pleased to let them both live out their natural
days in the safety of the Sanctuary.

40