AR-News: US NJ) Bull moves to New York farm after staking his claim to life

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1084596632108650.x
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The Star Ledger


Saturday, May 15, 2004 
BY JEFFERY C. MAYS 
Star-Ledger Staff 
Liberty, the bull that escaped the butcher's block by bolting from a Newark 
slaughterhouse last week and running into a truck garage, will now share 
greener pastures with two other famous bovine fugitives. 
Queenie the cow broke free from a Queens, N.Y., slaughterhouse in 2000, and 
Freedom, also a cow, leaped over a 6-foot fence in Cincinnati in 2002 to taste 
the open fields. 


All three are together now and living the life most cattle bred for the grill 
can only dream about: 175 acres on an upstate New York farm animal sanctuary. 
"He's literally and figuratively in the green pastures of Farm Sanctuary," 
said Lorri Bauston, executive director of the nonprofit educational and advocacy 
group. 
"He bounded off the truck and started mooing. The other cows started mooing. 
He's got lots of new friends, and they are all giving him kisses," she said. 
Compared with last Friday, when Liberty's life expectancy could be measured 
in days, he now can expect to chew the cud for the next 20 to 25 years. 
Liberty broke free from Baraka Halal Fresh Meats on Lockwood Street in the 
Ironbound section and made his way to Triangle Towing Service just around the 
corner on Ferry Street. 
Judy Borsellino, Triangle's owner, says Baraka Halal owes her $4,000 for work 
she did on its trucks. At first, the Berkeley Heights woman wanted to barter 
the bull for payment, but she then decided to set the cattle free, calling his 
escape "divine providence." 
After a little legal wrangling and last-minute excitement caused when Newark 
police and the United States Department of Agriculture showed up to claim the 
bull, Borsellino, 60, can finally say mission accomplished. 
"He did more than help himself, he helped all of us. It was a wonderful 
experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat," said Borsellino. 
The bull was examined by a veterinarian Thursday night and given a clean bill 
of health before officials from Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y., loaded 
him into a truck for the five-hour trip. Liberty arrived at his new home at 
about 5 a.m. yesterday. 
"He's going to live a long, happy life," said Borsellino. 
Officials at Farm Sanctuary said Liberty is a bull because he has not been 
castrated. Specifically, he is a Hereford bull, and he weighs about 600 pounds 
and is 8 to 9 months old. But because the sanctuary has a no-breeding policy, 
Liberty's first nickname of the "Freedom Steer" should be valid again soon. 
In addition to 175 acres of land, Farm Sanctuary has 600 other animals, such 
as chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. After spending some time being 
rehabilitated in the animal hospital, Liberty will join a herd of about 50 cattle, 
including the two other celebrity escapees. 
"A big part of our work is to get the public to recognize that these animals 
have feelings," said Bauston. "The animals hear the screams and smell the 
blood. They ran for a reason." 
The owners of Baraka Halal could not be reached for comment, but Liberty's 
story almost didn't have a happy ending. 
On Thursday, Newark police and USDA officials showed up to claim Liberty. 
After lawyers for Farm Sanctuary got involved, the regulatory and legal ownership 
issues were cleared up, and the USDA cleared the bull for transfer. 
Borsellino said the owner of Baraka told her that the bull was worth about 
$1,000. She plans to knock that much off the money she says she's owed. 
While Borsellino will miss caring for the bull and looking into his eyes, 
she's happy he'll have a home. She'll get to see the animal again at a 
fund-raiser this summer. 
"I did not get one negative phone call. Even if they weren't vegetarians, 
they felt if Liberty made a break for it, he was meant to be free," said 
Borsellino. 
Jeffery C. Mays covers Newark. He can be reached at jmays at starled ger.com or 
(973) 392-4149. 
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    "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those 
rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of
tyranny. - Jeremy Bentham 1748 - 1832 
The question is not can they REASON, nor can they TALK, but can they SUFFER?" 
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