Around the Haystack

FOX40 News filmed live tonight at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary for the 10 o’clock news concerning our involvement in the rescue of breeders hens from a cockfighting bust in Tulare County this week. Read the news report from reporter Dennis Shanahan of FOX40 News:

VISALIA— Authorities in Visalia busted a large scale cockfighting ring on Wednesday. Some of the rescued birds were brought to an animal sanctuary in San Joaquin County. According to the Humane Society of the United States, the raid was one of the largest busts of its kind in U.S. history. More than 1,100 cockfighting knives were seized, along with 388 birds. The Tulare County Sheriff’s department arrested Juan Carlos Gonzalez and his wife, Leticia Aguilar Gonzalez charging them with multiple counts relating to cockfighting. Most of the birds will be euthanized because of their condition and aggression. But five hens and one chick in good condition where brought to Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary near Stockton where they will be able to live out their lives. Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states. Authorities say not only is it cruel to the birds, but it also tends to be a magnet for other criminal activities such as drug use and the gambling that typically accompanies the fights. Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary’s mission, according to its web site, “is to provide life-long care for rescued animals, and to educate the public about humane animal care and practices.”  The shelter relies on donations to continue its mission.  More information is available at http://harvesthomesanctuary.org/.

Read more and watch the news segment online: http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-largescale-cockfighting-ring-busted-20120613,0,3741315.story#ixzz23yV0iBeP

All the photo entries are in. Who will win? You should be the judge!

Check out all the entries on Facebook. Click the LIKE button on your favorite photo’s page by Thursday, June 14 at 11:59 pm. The photo with the most LIKES wins the 2012 Viewer’s Choice Award. The Grand Prize Winner and Honorable Mentions will be announced on June 15. Online at www.HarvestHomePhotographyContest.com.

Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary is teaming up with Karen Cunningham, a vegan Arbonne Independent Consultant,  for a new fundraising campaign.

Arbonne offers an array of cruelty-free, eco-friendly bath and body products. Thirty-five percent of your online retail purchases will automatically be donated to the sanctuary’s continual efforts to save the lives of animals.    

Please log on to Arbonne.com with the ID code
17046044 Emmett Cunningham to start supporting the sanctuary while purchasing animal-friendly personal care products.

Having trouble logging on to Arbonne.com? Email
KarenCunningham@myArbonne.com with your questions.

Learn how chickens can be wonderful members of your family in this week’s edition of the East Bay Express Pets Issue. 

Coming Home to Roost: How to Keep Chickens as Pets

By Christine Morrissey

As the morning sun peeks over the rolling Hayward hills, Anne Kenney is already busy tending to her “girls.” For the flock of fourteen rescued chickens, Kenney’s predator-proof backyard is a slice of free-range paradise. To Kenney, a fifty-year-old aspiring pastry chef, the chickens are her enduring companions.

Two years ago, Kenney started rescuing unwanted chickens from her neighbors and Craigslist. As a newly unemployed teacher, she decided to refocus her energies to stay positive in spite of an uncertain career path.

Most recently, she adopted two Leghorn hens that nearly starved to death earlier this year at A&L Poultry, an abandoned egg facility near Turlock, California. The hens now dine on a varied, colorful array of feedstuffs, including brown rice, blueberries, romaine lettuce, and organic chicken crumble.

“I know each one’s voice,” Kenney said. “Chickens keep me connected. They give my life purpose. “

Faced with the daunting task of finding employment, Kenney said the chickens have helped her cope with depression. When she started adopting chickens, “it went from the worst time of my life to all of a sudden the best time of my life,” she said.

From two-pound Bantams and mid-size Frizzle Cochins to ten-pound Jersey Giants, chickens are now welcomed in as feathered “Fidos” in many Bay Area households. A growing number of chicken keepers are moving away from the conventional feedstore and breeder sources in favor of adopting cluckers as companion animals.

With a quick online search, it’s easy to find chickens in need of rescue. Local humane societies, municipal animal shelters, and rescue organizations like Vacaville’s Animal Place Rescue Ranch routinely offer chickens up for adoption. PetFinder.com, a popular online animal adoption network, also lists chickens.

Aspiring chicken “parents” should know a few important points about bird care before adoption. Caregivers should be mindful of local zoning laws. Some municipalities limit or prohibit residents from having chickens, especially roosters. A city’s municipal code is available online for review. The City of Alameda caps the limit on pet chickens at six. Oakland residents may care for hens as pets; however, roosters are prohibited within city limits. A twenty-foot buffer must be in place between a bird’s living space and any human dwelling in both Alameda and Oakland. Chickens may also be adopted as pets in Berkeley with a 25-foot buffer zone in place.

In daylight, chickens enjoy spacious yet protected outdoor accommodations, as these domestic birds love to forage, dustbathe, and sunbathe. At night, it’s essential for chickens to be provided with a secure, comfortable enclosure to safeguard them against predators, such as raccoons, coyotes, owls, and hawks. Caregivers should also be mindful to keep dogs and cats separated from chickens.

Lori Huneke, who adopted a small group of hens from the Marin Humane Society in March, said it’s important to maintain a regular cleaning schedule for the chickens’ indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Chicken manure is known for its foul odor. “Chickens are really cool pets,” said Huneke, a mother of two children who lives in Pleasanton. “People don’t realize that. But, you have to be on top of cleaning up after them. It’s been a seriously amazing experience for my kids. Caring for the chickens teaches them responsibility. They also experience the life cycle of an animal.”

The physical well-being of a companion bird also plays a central role in the overall care of chickens. Oakley’s Medical Center for Birds and San Francisco’s Bay Area Bird Hospital are popular avian-care destinations for sick and injured chickens.

“The vet bills are the same as if you brought your dog or cat to the vet,” cautioned Karen Cunningham of Brisbane. “It can be expensive if your chickens get sick.” Cunningham, who works from home, shares her home and garden with five rescued hens.

Rachel Stamps, a retired veterinary nurse with avian care experience, stressed the importance of proper nutrition, vaccination, and parasite prevention for companion chickens. She recommends identifying a local veterinarian who is skilled in treating chickens. With ideal care, chickens can live for more than ten years.

A longtime Livermore resident, Stamps encourages newcomer chicken adopters to befriend a person who already has chickens for advice and ideas. In addition, she said, farm animal rescue organizations offer free educational materials on the topic of humane chicken care.

The intelligence of chickens is often understated. In fact, scientific studies have shown that chickens can anticipate the future, grasp cause-and-effect relations, and maintain self-control.

Chickens can also sound off at least thirty distinct vocalizations, which is music to Stamps’ ears. “It’s very calming just listening to chickens,” said Stamps, who has rescued and rehabilitated several injured hens and roosters from local backyards farms in recent years.

At dusk, Kenney oversees the evening procession of her menagerie of rescued chickens in to their secure birdhouse. This daily activity is a therapeutic routine for Kenney and a thoughtful safe precaution for her lucky hens.

“Chickens are sentient beings, just like dogs and cats,” she concludes. “This experience with hens completely changed my life. These rescued hens saved me.”

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Christine Morrissey is the manager of Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary, a farm animal rescue, rehabilitation, and humane education center based in Stockton. A photograph of Pablo the Rescued Rooster of Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary was published with the story.

Your donations are put to good use at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary by improving the living areas of our rescued animals. Today, a new plot of lush green grass was installed for the rescued birds who live in the original bird living space. The chickens, turkeys, ducks and guineafowl now have a fresh lawn to enjoy.

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AFTER THE SOD INSTALLATION: