Abe Polin was definitely ahead of the curve when he did the name change back in 1995. He got it changed before any groups had the time to approach him that they were offended by it. With social media nowadays, it would have been changed anyway.
He literally was an animal, kind of. While a Senior in High school, Bill Played one of the "Sleestack" Monsters on the Saturday morning kids show Land of the Lost for one season.