Richard
Rescue date: Mar 2, 2021 Favourite Food: Grapes Best friend: Cindy, she always gives me a hugCrazy Timing
We lost George the rooster early one morning in March and later that day we got an urgent plea to help another rooster.
“Good afternoon, I am the Kennel Supervisor at the City of Vancouver Animal Shelter. We had a gorgeous rooster come into the shelter and our normal means of re-homing roosters in not available to us at this time. We were wondering if Kindred would have space for a rooster?”
The timing of this request was more than coincidence, so in the midst of our grief of losing George, we said yes. Was it crazy to do this so soon? We can blame it on Louise who made us fall in love with roosters.
Richard was abandoned in a city park to fend for himself. He is one of hundreds that are abandoned every year by people who are raising backyard chickens. Richard’s chance of survival was very slim and he was lucky to be caught by Animal Control.
As soon as he arrived, you couldn’t help but smile and laugh at his personality. He is the epitome of a rooster, energy to spare, hyper vigilant, full of life, a chatterbox and crowing up a storm. The city shelter named him Richard which has quickly morphed into Ricky Richardo.
It’s impossible to get a photo of Richard because he never stops moving. The only photos we’ve been able to get are when he is cuddled by our volunteers.
Richard’s story is part of a huge crisis with abandoned roosters as more municipalities allow backyard chickens. Unsuspecting new “city farmers” purchase day-old chicks from a hatchery and are not aware that half of the babies may actually be roosters. It is ironic that when bylaws allow backyard chickens they also do not allow roosters! Kindred has joined many farm sanctuaries to change the negative perception of roosters and to advocate on their behalf.
