Meeting animals who have been rescued from farms, confinement, and fighting can be one of the most powerful experiences for students learning to effectively advocate for animals. Looking into these animals’ eyes, learning their personalities, and seeing them thrive in a safe space inspires advocates to use the legal system to help save lives.
VINE Sanctuary in Springfield, Vermont has welcomed students from Vermont Law and Graduate School, allowing them to meet the ducks, sheep, cows, pigeons, chickens, emus, goats, and many others who call VINE home. These nonhuman animals were rescued from abusive situations, seized by law enforcement, taken in when their caretakers could no longer provide for them, or if they have liberated themselves. Over the many years of farmed animal rescue, VINE co-founders pattrice jones and Miriam Jones recognized there was an overwhelming need to rescue and rehabilitate roosters, many of whom are cockfighting victims.
VINE has been dispelling stereotypes commonly associated with roosters—that they are natural fighters, and unsocial—to help expand options for these misunderstood birds. VINE learned that, given enough space and safety, roosters, even those who were forced to fight, will choose to live in harmony with other roosters and other animals.
Last year, the U.S. government initiated an investigation and prosecution involving the breeding, selling, and fighting of roosters resulting in the seizure of thousands of birds. Historically, the discovery and end to a cockfighting ring would lead to the automatic death of the victims, usually through gassing. There are simply not enough sanctuaries to house all of the hens roosters in need, and it was believed that it wasn’t possible to safely co-house roosters. However, this time there was an effort to try to find sanctuary for the birds. In September of 2022, federal prosecutors asked VINE to help, and they were able to find placements for over 500 hens and roosters at VINE and other sanctuaries.
The federal prosecutor worked with the Alabama state veterinarian to perform the required testing to enable the birds to cross state lines. However, the night before transport, the agencies in the receiving states realized one last vital test had not been completed, and therefore refused to allow the birds to enter.
Because the original plan fell through, the federal government made arrangements with the Alabama state veterinarian to gas all of the birds. VINE director pattrice jones reached out to animal law expert Professor Delcianna Winders for help. With these animals’ lives at risk, VLGS’s Professor Winders, Director of the Animal Law and Policy Institute; Professor Laura Fox, Director of the Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic at VLGS; and first-year law student Kristi Fox, immediately dove into legal research, contacted Vermont officials, and drafted an emergency petition for a declaratory ruling. At the end of the day, despite the effort feeling likely futile, Professor Winders filed the motion on behalf of VINE sanctuary, refusing to give up on the possibility of saving the birds’ lives.
The next morning, Winders and the group were resigned to the fact that veterinarians were onsite, and the outcome looked grim. However, they received word that the judge held an emergency hearing and granted an extension, allowing thirty more days to arrange for rescue.
At the hearing, the government argued that it had attempted to facilitate rescue, but because of complications with transport and the logistics of testing so many birds, the agreed upon time had expired. Judge Stephen Doyle granted the stay stating:
I’ve considered the parties’ positions and the government’s scheduling. Though I’m aware of the time and effort that it takes for the government to schedule these various matters, I don’t find that the mere scheduling of this euthanization scheduled for today outweighs the interest in potentially saving the lives of these birds and having them rehomed. . . . At the end of that 30 days, the government can euthanize the birds if that's the only solution that is left, but I don't want to have the birds sacrificed simply because a lot of time and effort of various government agencies is required to get the schedule together.
The extension allowed VINE to secure the final blood test, and successfully transport 100 roosters to safety in Vermont. Over the past few months, the roosters have been settling into their new space. While critics baulked at the idea of housing so many roosters, VINE’s rehabilitation methods have proven successful. They don’t all seek human attention or affection, but they are living peacefully with each other. With this proven success, hopefully future cockfighting raids will lead to a life of sanctuary for the roosters, instead of automatic death.
In January, the New York Times reported on this case, exploring why there are still so many roosters when cockfighting is illegal in all states and territories. It is a complex issue, requiring a new mindset about the use of animals for entertainment, the impacts of the mail-order chicken industry, the role of rescue, and how animal advocates can use the legal system to make a difference.