We received an urgent call about fifty hens and dozens of chicks needing help in Sacramento, California. A month earlier, an enormous cockfighting ring with hundreds of roosters were busted. The facility also served as a breeding operation and the hens were used to produce highly aggressive fighting roosters.  

On Monday, August 6th, Marji Beach, Program Coordinator, and Cally Jones, Senior Animal Caregiver along with with Pat Claerbout, director of Sacramento County Animal Care & Regulation drove to the site where hundreds of roosters had fought and died in illegal fights. The property, situated on a dozen acres, was in poor shape – dilapidated buildings, a child’s bike, trash and debris littered the area. Amidst ramshackle structures were dozens of birds.

We went at dusk when we knew the birds would be calmer and easier to handle. For two hours, we trapped and netted hens and chicks running loose or perching in the rafters. Broken glass, splintered wood and dangerous ground made the rescue difficult and frustrating. After two hours, it was too dark to stay at the site.

The hens and chicks have settled in nicely. They spend their days scratching dust-bathing, and seem to love the fresh water now available to them. One hen kindly adopted eight orphaned chicks and is proudly raising them as her own.

While we are grateful for the chance to save these hens and offer them a new future, we temper that happiness with the reality of what happens to fighting roosters. The males confiscated are far too aggressive for safe placement – all will be euthanized. Sadder still, a painless death is perhaps the first kindness these birds have known from humans.

Cockfighting is an illegal blood sport pitting two aggressive roosters in a fight to the death. Roosters are naturally territorial, though rarely do they fight to the death. When forced into a pit where no escape is possible, fighting roosters will continue to fight and fight and fight…until one dies or is too injured to continue. The spurs -natural defense mechanisms located on the back of their legs – are removed and replaced with razor sharp “knives” to cause maximum damage. Sometimes, birds are given drugs to increase their aggression.

Gambling and drug trafficking are common. Children are often present, further desensitizing them to violence.

What you can do

Be a Compassion Cop
Be proactive in the fight against animal cruelty. If you ever believe someone is harming, neglecting or abusing their animals, contact authorities immediately. Document any and all acts of neglect or abuse for evidence. Never give up – the animals cannot defend themselves, so someone has to. Be that someone!

Donate to the sanctuary
A tax-deductible donation will help provide food, care and bedding to the rescued hens and also assist in the care of all the animals at the sanctuary. Caring for 80 more birds is a strain on the staff and sanctuary, but how could we, in good conscience, turn these birds away? Your contribution will also help in placement of these hens. 

To make a donation, please click here
To donate by check, please send to
Animal Place
3448 Laguna Creek Trail
Vacaville, CA 95688

You can make your donation online

Adopt a hen
Animal Place already has nearly 200 chickens – we cannot integrate fifty more into our population. We are looking for appropriate and permanent homes.

If you have an interest in adopting some hens, and are located in northern California, please email us at info@animalplace.org. We will email you a questionnaire and an adoption application.