WAN Exclusive With Founder Of Skylands Animal Sanctuary, Mike Stura, Who Rescued A Bull Two Months After He Escaped From Slaughter In New York

WAN is pleased to share the remarkable news that a bull who was on the run for more than two months in and around Long Island, New York, was safely rescued on Wednesday evening.

The bull, formerly-named ‘Barney,’ is now settling into his new forever home at Skylands Animal Sanctuary And Rescue in Wantage, New Jersey. The 232-acre refuge is also home to an estimated 450 animals that have been rescued from slaughterhouses, live markets, farms, extreme neglect, abuse, religious ceremonies, and abandonment, among other unfortunate circumstances.

WAN had the opportunity to speak with Mike Stura, the founder of Skylands Animal Sanctuary, who was responsible for the rescue of the wayward bull.

Stura explained the details of the rescue that was months in the making, noting how his buddies Dave Miller and Nick Milazzo were on hand to assist him. Eddie Stepinski, Joe Rocco, and Karen Johnson, who had been helping since the brave bull first escaped from religious sacrifice on July 20th, also participated in the September 22nd rescue. Frankie Floridia, Gary Kaufman, and Lisa Jaeger offered their help prior to the rescue, as did members of the Suffolk County Police Department, 7th Precinct.

“After trying many different ways to capture the bull, we decided to use a giant headlock feeder to secure him,” Stura told WAN, explaining that he had to special order the giant feeder for the bull.

According to Stura, who provided all of the equipment for the heroic operation, the expensive feeder ensured the safety of both the bull and the people who were attempting to save him. Complete with cameras inside and out to monitor the bull’s actions, the feeder was placed at the location for about one month before the bull was finally acclimated to its noise and feel. Once the bull seemed comfortable with the feeder, it took an estimated four to five days before Stura was able to release the trip lock of the feeder to secure the animal who he said “surprisingly, did not freak out.”

From beginning to end, the rescue operation took a staggering 11 hours. That’s nothing to laugh about, unless maybe you’re Stura, who amusingly shared with WAN how he had already spent the previous 40 days watching out for the bull, sometimes for up to 24 hours at a time.

“We knew he would not come out until evening, so we arrived at noon. It was close to 11:00pm when we were able to capture him,” Stura explained to WAN. The lengths that Stura went through with the rescue of this bull demonstrates his selfless dedication to saving animals.

As per Stura, the bull is now adjusting to life at the sanctuary where he is in an area with three other animals, including a 2200-pound bull named “Peanut.”

“It’s kind of business as usual, but we are still tip-toeing around because we don’t want to spook him,” Stura stated, further explaining that with big animals such as this bull, fences ‘are sort of a suggestion’ as to where to stop. “We want him to get acclimated and bond with others, so he doesn’t want to leave.

Stura wants people to recognize animals as individuals and to treat them with the dignity, respect, and admiration they deserve.

“Most everyone roots for rescued animals, but it is important that we not forget that all animals are individuals,” said Stura, who is vegan. “The only difference between them and the animals I have at Skylands, is that I know these animals. The others have the same desire to live.”

The big-hearted animal rescuer is also currently working on building a weather-and-predator-proof enclosure for 166 of the 170 roosters who he rescued this month after they fell off a transport truck on their way to slaughter in New York.

“Sadly, we lost a few of the birds that were really suffering,” Stura shared. “I have temporary housing for them because I have quarantine areas that I am using, but they can’t stay there. I need those areas emptied for new animal intakes that we have to make sure are healthy before introducing them to others.”

Ways to support Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue to help with the care of the rescued bull, roosters, and the hundreds of other animals that Stura has saved, can be found HERE!