LAKEBAY, WASH. — What happens when the neighbors start complaining about the rooster and the hens stop laying eggs? Shannon Hill says the lucky ones wind up at Sky's The Limit Sanctuary in Kitsap County.
“We started by taking owner surrenders but we just can't do that anymore,” Hill says. “There's too many strays that need us.”
Strays like Chance, a rooster Hill adopted while holding a vigil outside a livestock auction.She says someone needs to speak up for the lost boys of the poultry world.
“Because roosters are awesome,” she says. “They are just awesome. They make amazing companions and anyone that spends time with them learns that.
Hill says the problem begins at feed stores that can't promise the sex of the chicks they're selling
“You don't know what you're getting until they get a bit older,” she says.
Roosters are illegal in every major city in Western Washington.
“Imagine if we did that to dogs. Just banned an entire species because of their sex. They get a bad rap, but the noise is no different than a barking dog.”
Roosters are not just illegal in cities. When Hill and her husband started the sanctuary on Fox Island she says zoning codes made their roosters legal. But then neighbors complained about the noise, and animal control issued fines.
The Hills have now moved further out in the country where they can also provide care for rescued hens and turkeys.
“These six boys will not be eaten in November this year,” she says. “They were saved from slaughter.”
Most people wouldn't move to save a rooster, but Hill is more dedicated than most.
She had to cut our interview short this morning so she could drive chance to a vet more than an hour away in Des Moines.
That is, after one more cuddle.
“You want back in my lap don't you?” she asks Chance. “We have a special bond. Don't worry. You're my boy.”
Sky's The Limit Sanctuary (253)649-7022 P.O. Box 273 Lakebay, WA 98349
