Members of the animal rescue and welfare community, and Santa Barbara County Animal Services are asking the community to help find the person or persons responsible for the recent mutilation and death of a rooster.
On Oct. 26 a Santa Maria resident discovered a paper bag in the middle of an intersection in Santa Maria. The bag appeared to have an animal of some kind inside and had already been struck by a vehicle. When an off-duty Animal Control Officer responded to the report he discovered a black Old English rooster had been tied up with a yellow rope, and both legs had been cut off before being placed in a Trader Joe’s paper bag and left at the intersection of Alvin and Western in Santa Maria.
Though the rooster is of a breed commonly used in illegal cock fighting, it is not clear whether this incident is connected. Animal Services has completed a report, which has been filed with the Santa Maria Police Department.
We join our colleagues in wanting to send a very clear message that animal abuse will not be tolerated in this community. We urge the public to join us in rooting out those responsible for this cruel and senseless act so that decisive action can be taken and they can be brought to justice.
If you have any information about this incident, please contact Santa Barbara County Animal Services at the number listed below. A reward of $2,500 has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Contributing to the reward fund are: Davey’s Voice, Davey’s Legacy, Animal Rescue Team, and Shadow’s Fund.
If the person or persons responsible are found to be involved in illegal cock fighting, the Humane Society of the United States will add an additional $5,000 to the reward.
If you have information regarding the mutilated rooster, contact Santa Maria Animal Shelter at 934-6119.
This article appears in Nov 12-19, 2015.