Update: Shambo, the Hindu temple bullock with TB, will be slaughtered at 8am tomorrow.
Original post:
Shambo, the Hindu temple bullock with TB, is on death row again after the court of appeal overturned a judge's decision to spare him.
But as interest in the case intensifies around the world, from Canada to India, Shambo's fate is still uncertain.
The Skanda Vale monks have once again appealed to the Welsh authorities to carry out a second test for TB, but have been turned down. The monks may even take the case to the House of Lords.
Just to recap (and there's more here if you want it), Shambo tested positive for bovine TB in May.
But the monks want second testing because they claim one in a thousand tests is faulty.
Meanwhile, Shambo has a new life of his own on the web, and his fate is even being discussed on social networking sites. At the last count there were 11 Shambo-related groups on Facebook alone. Seven are dedicated to his salvation, and four to his slaughter, including "Shambo the cow who should be beef burgered", which has 220 members.
His fate has even prompted members of the clergy to adopt some very unChristian language.
In a blog post entitled Dead Bull Walking, Patrick the self-styled Mad Priest, from St Francis church, Newcastle, accuses a Welsh government spokesman of being a "slimey, patronising, two-faced little git" - and worse.
But the deputy chairman of the Ogmore Conservatives thinks enough is enough and that Shambo should die.
Shambo remains blissfully oblivious to all this and continues to amble around his pen chewing the cud. For now at least.
