Remember that story of the prize breeding bull, Benjy, who was to be sent to the slaughterhouse for being gay? Well it looks like he just might have a happy ending!

After the animal’s plight made headlines, Ireland’s Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) and The Gay UK intervened with a crowd-funding campaign to save his life, which is hoping to raise up to £5,000.

Benjy’s owner, an anonymous Co Mayo farmer, had bought the pricey bull to impregnate his cows. But after almost a year, not one of the cows was pregnant, and the farmer noticed Benjy’s eyes wandering to his fellow bull-folk.

The farmer said, “At first I didn’t take seriously that the bull could be gay but after seeking advice I know this can happen.”

The farmer admitted that Benjy was too old to castrate and would have to be sent to slaughter and the story caught the attention of animal and gay rights activists in Ireland and the UK.

Benjy may now have found a saving grace in the form of a sanctuary in the UK. The campaign states: “Your money will help us to buy Benjy from his owner, have him vetted and transported to the Hillside Sanctuary where they’ve been looking after suffering farm animals since 1995.”

ARAN’s John Carmody told The Gay UK, “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.”

And step in, they have. A petition has been put forth by musician and animal rights activist, Jenna Starar, to save Benjy from the slaughterhouse.