Over 200 birds that were involved in a mass cockfighting operation in Northampton, Massachusetts were saved from euthanasia and found their forever homes.
In late May, 423 birds were seized from a farm that operated an illegal cockfighting business after officials conducted a barn inspection at Ravenwold Greenhouses. The birds were taken to the MSPCA-Nevins Farm in Methuen, Massachusetts for treatment as a result.
At the time, animal experts did not expect the birds to survive due to their high aggression. However, they were able to save about half of the population after making more than 50 calls to bird sanctuaries and experienced private homes.
The MSPCA-Nevins Farm contacted appropriate sanctuaries along the East Coast, from Vermont to Florida. A sanctuary in Vermont took in 136 birds that included roosters, hens and chicks, while another sanctuary in New Hampshire welcomed one rooster and 10 hens.
The MSPCA-Nevins Farm also announced that 193 roosters had to be humanely euthanized because of their aggression levels.
"It's extremely difficult for us to euthanize these birds, but we take solace in knowing we saved them from deplorable conditions and a brutal death at the hands of their abusers," Elizabeth Monteith, manager of the equine and farm animal programs at Nevins Farm, said.
