Heartwood Haven, an animal sanctuary in Roy, rescued 120 roosters on Aug. 1 from a cockfighting operation in Buckley in Pierce County.
Representatives from the organization confirmed this was the largest cockfighting rescue in Washington state history. They are seeking to rehome the recently rescued fowl.
Kate Tsyrklevich, Heartwood Haven’s executive director, told The Chronicle on Aug. 19 that the organization aims to raise awareness surrounding cockfighting rooster rescues, as she said, usually, the birds are “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.”
Adoption paperwork can be filled out on the organization's website: https://heartwoodhaven.org/adoption-form/.
In May, Heartwood Haven was supposed to adopt 64 roosters from a cockfighting bust in Yakima County, but Yakima County Sheriff’s Office euthanized them before the rescue. Tsyrklevich believes, however, that the public is beginning to hear more about the tragic endings to already-grim lives that these roosters have.
Heartwood Haven had adopted 40 roosters from the same sting in April, and Tsyrklevich was left puzzled 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.”
She added that people have a lot of misconceptions about roosters used in cockfighting, and that authorities don’t combat the narrative about the birds. She said, even while the birds are deemed aggressive by law enforcement and other people with no experience working or rescuing them, Heartwood Haven and other sanctuaries can save and rehome the birds.
“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, in many cases, that roosters rescued from cockfighting operations are friendlier than a typical backyard rooster. Because the rescued fowl have been handled so much by humans, she said they can be easily picked up and aren’t aggressive toward 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.”
She’s hopeful that other sanctuaries like Heartwood Haven will step up to ensure cockfighting roosters are given a second opportunity at life.
Of the latest poultry rescued, Tsyrklevich said a veterinarian examined every bird, and most of them have had their blood drawn and fecal samples taken. Each of the rescued roosters has been treated for internal parasites, and their temperaments have also been tested. She ensured that families will be adopting roosters that are “really nice.”
“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.”
For Heartwood Haven to continue rescuing cockfighting roosters and the abundance of other animals housed at the sanctuary, Tsyrklevich said the organization is seeking donations from community members.
“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.”
