What would you do?
my neighbor across the street has chickens and roosters, 4 roosters to be exact, we live in a residential neighborhood, and he is not allowed to have them...none of us that live around him mind them...I love to watch them cluck in the yard... heres the problem...My hubby thinks he's raising the roosters for cock fighting....my hubby is familar with this, because its a sport in the Philippines >:D (where he is from). my neighbor dosn't speak english, and he's not too friendly to begin with, I don't want to cause him issues, if he is just raising chickens and roosters(he takes good care of them, they are well fed)but I don't want any harm to come to these animals either...my hubby suspects this, because of the way he cages the animals...His grandfather use to have cock fights >:D and my hubby use to help him >:D What would you guys do???
Do the roosters look as though they've been beat up? are people coming and going with roosters, or is he constantly taking the roosters with him to go somewhere? If your suspicions are strong enough, I'd make an "anonymous" phone call. Listen to your gut chica.
as far as I can tell the Roosters are ok, one time he had a whole bunch of guys over, and he had set up a table, my Hubby didn't like the looks of things, so he stood outside at the end of our driveway watching them...they kept looking at my hubby, and finally after 1 hour the guys just left, like I said my hubby has experience with cock fighting, nothing has ever taken place at his house since that incident, and he dosn't move the chickens or roosters, like I said, I don't have proof, and I don't want to cause this man issues, I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on things....No fowl will be hurt if I can help it
I share your suspisions. I don't know what I would do. I would probably make the anonymous call suggested by fufu. I'd hate to think they'd get taken away if they were really his pets, but for some reason, I highly doubt this. Have you talked to any of your other neighbors? I would think someone would have heard something if there were fights going on.....but I could be wrong.
They will be taken away if I call, because you cannot have livestock or fowl in a residental neighborhood, you have to have an agricultural permit, in an approved area...they are pretty strict about it, my neighbor next door thinks the same as I do....I guess right now my hands are tied, I'll keep watching for activity.
I also suggest watching for other activity...its really sad to both think of these animals being harmed by cock fighting and to think of someones beloved pets being taken away just because the area he lives in doesnt zone for that...
Does he speak a little english or no english at all? could you try to be friendly and talk to him? Like, maybe one day when he sees you admiring his birds say "hi" smile a lot and tell him you like them...that you like to watch them dust bathing pecking around...be animated with your speach but not overly so. If they are his pets theres a good chance he will identify that you like them and try to talk to you a little, or let you pet one...he would probably have a relaxed manner about him. Maybe you couold ask him if he plans to eat them-- dont seem accusatory, just curious, that should be easy enough to indicate with getures and simple words. She what he says. Even if he is raising them for food he would probably be receptive to your firiendliness. (Keep in mind that even if he is raisng them for food- if they get taken away they will most likely be euthanized. The males almost garunteed. they may have happier lives with him until than time than in a crouded animal shelter with strange smells and barking dogs before being euthanized in a less than humane way. At least I asume that it would not be super human as I can hardly imagine the average dog piound is eqipt to umanly euthaize rooster.)
On the other hand, if teh man seems to be agressive, or angry about your interst in the chickens, he MIGHT be trying to hide something-like cockfighting...definatly keep en eye out. Theres almost no way he would openly admit to that . If that ends up being is intention, then definatly contact animal control! I feel like (almost) any method of euthanasia devised by the human socity would be more humane than being brutally fought and killed ina cockfight. :'( And of course there is always the small possiblity of being rescued this way too...especially if you do soem of the leg work contacting rescues in the event hat you see the birds are confiscated....
Even if he isn't keeping these roosters for cock fighting, he's still breaking the law. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't call the SPCA or animal control to share your concerns. If he is keeping them for cock fighting then they'll probably have to get put down but if they are just regular roosters and chickens, then they might be able to be re-homed to somewhere with more land.
I know I sound harsh but I just don't see why someone should get away with breaking the law.