Why did the bull cross the road? To escape the slaughterhouse! But sadly for Charlie, the 14-month-old bullock who was rescued from a Cornish cliff yesterday by the Ministry of Defence, it might have all been in vain.
For three days, Charlie was trapped down the bottom of a cliff after escaping from his herd of “beef cattle” in St. Levan, West Cornwall. The brave bull headed for the sun, sand and sea but sadly didn’t reach his holiday destination, as he lost his footing and plunged over the edge of a cliff.
Three days, 27 coast guards, the Royal Navy Air Service, the RSPCA and a team of supportive onlookers later, Charlie was flown to safety and all lived happily ever after. Or that’s how you’d think this story ends, but actually it does not.
Media reports suggest that the bull, who cost the emergency services thousands of pounds and a tremendous amount of effort to save his life, was returned to the herd and back in line for slaughter once again. You can see what he has to look forward to here.
So PETA sent the farmer a letter asking for him to consider retiring the bull to a sanctuary so he could live the rest of his life in peace. Here are the juicy bits:
“In the story we read, you are quoted as saying with regard to humanely euthanizing Charlie that you ‘didn’t like the idea of killing a grown animal in that way’. You state ‘Now I’m delighted’ because you don’t have to. The story also noted that your 15-year-old daughter Samantha was ‘really upset’ about Charlie’s plight but now ‘is really happy again’.
First, it should go without saying that humane euthanasia is a much preferable death to being shipped to an abattoir and killed. Surely sparing him a painless death only to slaughter him cruelly in a slaughterhouse would represent the darkest of dark ironies.
Second, does your daughter understand what is going to happen to Charlie now? For her sake if for no other reason, won’t you please give Charlie a happy ending in a sanctuary, rather than teaching your daughter that her love for Charlie will only end in the ultimate possible betrayal.
Other animals are made of flesh, blood, and bone, just like humans are. They have the same five physiological senses, value their lives as Charlie showed so clearly, and—of course—don’t want to die. We would love to see you stop killing animals completely, but at the very least, please give Charlie a life worth living by sending him to an animal sanctuary where he can form bonds with other animals and pursue his obvious love of exploration.
PETA would be happy to offer our assistance in locating an accredited farmed-animal sanctuary so that Charlie can live the rest of his life in peace.”
We’ll let you know how it pans out.
