Over $2,400 Raised For New Digs Of Barney, the Mastic Bull

MASTIC, NY — Dozens of supporters of Barney, the Mastic bull, have donated to a rescue fund to help rescuers with the upkeep of the AWOL bovine at his new forever home.

Ninety people have donated over $2,400 as part of an online benefit set up by Jaeger’s Run Animal Rescue, Inc. for the New Jersey-based Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue, which cares for a menagerie of farm animals, including other bovines.

A pen has been set up with sweet feed and alfalfa hay to lure Barney, who escaped from a Manorville farm where he was scheduled to be slaughtered as part of the Muslim holiday celebration, by breaking through a fence on July 20.

“It’s just such a great story,” said wildlife rehabilitator Lisa Jaeger, who joked that it seemed the bull stole the spotlight from Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos, who took his inaugural launch into space the same day.

The bull’s former owner agreed to surrender him to the group of rescuers, five of which are working together to wrangle him, but he has eluded them for nearly 10 days by hiding in the woods.

On Wednesday People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals announced they planned to place a billboard nearby highlighting what the group not only believes is Barney’s plight, but other bovines as well. The billboard will feature the slogan, “I am me, not meat.”

Jaeger, who set up the Facebook fundraiser, marveled at Barney’s escape, adding, “This young bull ran for his life.”

She said Mike Stura of Skylands drove 2 1/2 hours from New Jersey to transport “this poor animal” to his animal sanctuary where there are 90 other rescued bovines, and she knows that he will need money for medical care and vetting once he is secured.

For her, Stura’s cause is a worthy one, she said.

“I just thought if anyone is going to start raising money, it should be for the person who is taking him,” she said.

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• Mastic Bull Rescuer: ‘It’s A Waiting Game’
• A Plan To Lure Mastic Bull Out Of Nature Preserve

Stura, a vegan who has been keeping watch at the field during the overnight shift, is also being looked after by his Long Island counterparts, who are sharing homemade meals with him because he is so far away from home and is putting in such a great effort.

Jaeger made him some vegan Mac and Cheese the other day, but bemoaned that she has to be “more careful” because she also gave him chocolate, which is made of milk.

Although skittish, the bull has been coming closer to the enclosure each day, according to infrared cameras that have been picking up his movements, Jaeger said, explaining that rescuers are continuing to wait for him to become more comfortable with his surroundings in their presence.

It might seem like a drawn-out process to those who are not involved, but it’s the safest way, she said, adding, “It could take weeks.”