This has been sent to me by some colleagues. Can you circulate it to your contacts please? Many thanks,
Kindest regards,
Mike Huskisson
Please, please is there anyway you or any of your supporters or fellow campaigners can help to try and save Fergus?
Please forward this email urgently to anybody you can think of who might be interested, including any press contacts.
Fergus is a 2 year old Highland bull currently grazing with a small herd at Wandlebury which is an iron age hill fort in Cambridgeshire managed by the Cambridge Preservation Society (CPS).
He has become 'surplus' to requirements as the CPS had decided that they did not want any further breeding within the herd. We met the head ranger at Wandlebury and got talking to him.
He informed us that they had no further need of Fergus and so were getting rid of him. He told us that he had already contacted someone about sending Fergus for slaughter and was now awaiting a return call.
We asked him if Fergus could be castrated to prevent further breeding but were informed that this was apparently not desirable as would require an operation. No explanation was forthcoming as to why he couldn't just HAVE the op- they already have one castrated bull living with the herd, who was castrated as a calf, who lives happily with the herd.
We asked him if Fergus could be temporarily removed from the herd to prevent breeding and were told that this would cause him suffering (unlike slaughtering, according to Jon Gibbs, the Head Ranger). I asked if he could have the castrated bull for company, but was told that Fergus would become unsettled and unmanagable when the cows came into season and would try to get back to the others.
We asked him whether it would be possible for Fergus to go to an animal sanctuary and told him about Hillside animal sanctuary; he seemed interested in the idea and said he would look into it and contact Hillside. In the event, he did not contact Hillside.
We contacted Hillside on Fergus's behalf and were told that they would like to offer him a home but at that moment were unable to say 'yes' as their quarantine quarters were full of cattle brought in because of the poor grazing available at that time, but that they would do their best to see if they could take him and would probably be able to take him if he could stay at Wandlebury for another couple of months. A week later, Hillside rang back and said that they were now in a position to offer Fergus a permament home.
Since then, the Cambridge Preservation Society have held a board meeting and have now decided that Fergus will go to slaughter THIS WEEK.
We are members of the Cambridge Preservation Society and are absolutely appalled that an organisation that we joined in good faith to support the preservation of Wandlebury, a place of great beauty and historical significance, is now getting into bed with the meat industry.
In speaking to the Head Ranger I heard the cows being described as 'just tools' and 'lawnmowers' and when we spoke at length to Carolyn Gohler, the CEO, she was talking enthusiastically about 'local provision of locally raised almost-organic meat' , while at the same time, telling me what a 'difficult' decision this was for them.
As things stand, while the noticeboard in the carpark at Wandlebury proudly announces, with photos, the birth of a calf, Pepper', born to Minty, on January 11th, encouraging visitors to take a sentimental interest in the cattle, Pepper's father Fergus is due to be taken away for slaughter THIS WEEK. This is in spite of the fact that Hillside Animal Sanctuary, in Norfolk, have now said that they are able to give Fergus a home immediately. Hillside is very experienced in looking after cattle and even has a herd of rescued Highland Cattle so have all the necessary experience to give Fergus a loving permanent home.
Please can anyone who feels that it is wrong for Fergus's life to be cut short like this when he has been offered such a wonderful home email the Chief Executive Officer of the Cambridge Preservation Society immediately on admin@cpswandlebury.org or phone 01223 243830 as a matter of urgency.
If anyone has any other ideas, please act urgently as Fergus is scheduled for slaughter THIS WEEK.
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