Heartwood Haven, an animal sanctuary in Roy, Washington, US rescued around 120 roosters from an illegal cockfighting operation in Buckley in Pierce County.
According to a representative from Heartwood Haven, they have confirmed that this was the largest cockfighting rescue in Washington state history. The organization is seeking to rehome the recently rescued gamefowls.
In an interview with Nisqually Valley News, Heartwood Haven executive director Kate Tsyrklevich stated that the organization aims to raise awareness on cockfighting rooster rescues as the birds are usually “euthanized and the public doesn’t hear about it.”
“Now, we are looking for adoptive homes for them. The only way we can continue to save these roosters is by finding homes for them,” Tsyrklevich said. “Right now, they’re in very confined spaces. It’s not good for their mental, physical or emotional wellbeing. It’s a very stressful environment, and we’re hoping to get at least half of them placed in homes in the coming weeks. Ideally, we’ll find all of them homes.”
In May, Heartwood Haven was supposed to adopt 64 roosters from a cockfighting bust in Yakima County. However, Yakima County’s Sheriff’s Office euthanized the roosters before the rescue. Tsyrklevich believes that the public is beginning to hear more about the tragic endings to already-grim lives that the roosters have.
The organization adopted 40 roosters from the same operation but Tsryklevich was left puzzled as to why the additional 64 roosters were “euthanized,” or shot with 12-gauge shotguns.
“I think that’s the first time that it’s ever really come to light. At this point, people are more aware. Animal control officers are more aware, and that’s the reason why this rescue happened. Pierce County has done cockfighting busts in the past. They’ve never had roosters actually be saved. They’ve always been euthanized. The reason, in this case, they weren’t euthanized is because we were able to take them.”
According to Tsryklevich, people have a lot of misconceptions about roosters used in cockfighting and that law enforcement isn’t doing anything to combat the narrative, citing that they even deem the birds as aggressive.
“The messages that are being put out there are mixed messages by someone who doesn’t have the experience to be able to really make those messages,” Tsyrklevich said.
“We always want to be sure to let the public know. I think public perceptions are really important for the future of cockfighting rescues, so people know that these roosters, for the most part, are really friendly.”
Tsyrklevich said that in general, the roosters rescued from cockfighting operations are friendlier than the typical backyard rooster and that they aren’t aggressive against humans.
“Cockfighting is when two roosters are forced to fight each other with bloody knives or weapons,” she said. “Cockfighting roosters are not aggressive towards humans, otherwise, humans would not be handling them and training them constantly. These guys are very handleable.”
Tsyrklevich is hopeful that other sanctuaries will step up to ensure cockfighting roosters are given a second chance at life.
Of the latest animals rescued, Tsryklevich said that a veterinarian examined every bird and most of them have had samples taken from them. They have also been treated for internal parasites and their temperaments have been tested.
“We really need adopters to step up. These roosters are very nice and great pets for families with kids and hens. What we’re doing here is showing not only authorities but other rescues that this is possible. This can be done,” Tsyrklevich said.
“We hope to inspire others to take on these cases. Cockfighting is huge across the state, across the country, and so we want the right thing to be done by these roosters, which is to continue having these rescues save them.”
Heartwood Haven has also mentioned that they are seeking donations from community members in order for them to continue rescuing cockfighting roosters and take care of the other animals in the sanctuary.
“Donations are really appreciated,” she said. “These rescues don’t fund themselves, and there’s a lot that goes into it. There’s a tremendous amount of manpower involved in being able to care for 124 animals while also taking care of 100 animals at the sanctuary. Right now, we have over 200 animals here.”
