Summer 2004 Volume 14, Number 2 PoultryPromoting the compassionate and respectful Press treatment of domestic fowl Can "Fighting" Roosters Be Rehabilitated? By Pattrice Jones ing them that they don't have to be t's time consuming but not partic- afraid of other birds, and that not all ularly difficult, if you understand human beings are terrorists like the Iroosters. Perhaps because of their ones who used fear and frustration to evolutionary role as sentries and guardians trick them into fighting each other. We of the flock, roosters tend to be use the same principles that a highly sensitive and therapist might use in responsive to danger. helping a person to With few excep- overcome a pho- tions, roosters bia. We use the fight because same behav- they are afraid ioral princi- - not because ples that a they are nat- person urally might use aggressive. to stop In the wild, smoking. male jungle fowl (the wild Our ancestors of Methods chickens) squab- A former ble over pecking fighting cock order and territory but spends most of his United Poultry do not injure one another Photo By: Karen Davis first few weeks with us Concerns seriously. The same is true of in a large cage, from within P.O. Box 150 feral roosters and the roosters here at our which he can see and interact with - but Machipongo, VA sanctuary. Roosters will, however, fight to not hurt or be hurt by - the other birds. 23405-0150 the death to protect the flock from a The cage is portable, so that he can be (757) 678-7875 predator. outside in the shade during the day and FAX: (757) 678-5070 Cockfighting perverts this natural then sleep in the coop with the other birds Visit Our Web Site: and honorable behavior of the rooster into at night. He has his own food and water www.upc-online.org a parody of human masculinity. Roosters inside the cage. We also sprinkle food all who have been "trained" as fighting cocks around the cage, which encourages the co-operate because they have been so trau- hens and younger roosters to gather matized that they are terrified, seeing every around and socialize with him as they eat. other bird as a potentially deadly predator. He and the older roosters may posture or We rehabilitate fighting cocks by teach- even try to fly at one another but are not continued on page 2 UNITED POULTRY CONCERNS WWW.UPC-ONLINE.ORG Volume 14, Number 2 continued from page 1 able to fight. these birds. Remember, the fighting cock fights only Several times a day, we take him out of the cage because he is traumatized and terrified. Empathy tells and hold him close until his heart rate is calm. Then us that these birds are very relieved to learn how not we set him down and allow him to roam freely. As long to be so afraid. Our observation of their subsequent as he gets along with the other birds in a non-aggres- behavior tells us that they are very happy to be able to sive manner, he is rewarded by continued freedom. But have normal relations with the other birds. if he starts a fight, he is scooped up and put back in --Pattrice Jones is a codirector of the Eastern Shore the cage. Gradually, the amount of time he is able to Sanctuary & Education Center (Email: sanctuary@brave- be free without starting a fight gets longer and longer birds.org. Website: www.bravebirds.org) and a Consultant until we feel it is safe to allow him to be with the other & Internet Researcher for United Poultry Concerns. This birds without supervision. slightly edited article, reprinted with kind permission, is a We feel awkward about doing any kind of behav- section from "Feminist Fusion: The Pattrice Jones ioral training with an animal over whom we have total Interview (Pt 1)" by Claudette Vaughan, Vegan Voice, No. control but, given that the alternative to coming to our 18, June-August 2004. Correspondence: Vegan Voice, PO sanctuary is usually euthanasia, we feel it is the right Box 30, Nimbin NSW 2480 Australia. Email: thing to do in this instance. We are, after all, just [email protected]. Website: http://veganic.net s undoing the damage that other people have done to A LEGACY OF COMPASSION FOR THE BIRDS Please remember United Poultry Concerns through a provision in your will. Please consider an enduring gift of behalf of the birds. A legal bequest may be worded as follows: I give, devise and bequeath to United Poultry Concerns, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation incor- porated in the state of Maryland and located in the state of Virginia, the sum of $________ and/or (specifically designated property and/or stock contribution). We welcome inquiries. United Poultry Concerns, Inc. P.O. Box 150 • Machipongo, Virginia 23405-0150 (757) 678-7875 Photo by Tal Ronnen PoultryPress UNITED POULTRY CONCERNS, INC. is published quarterly by OFFICERS: WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR: CONSULTANTS & INTERNET United Poultry Concerns, Inc., KAREN DAVIS, PhD, GARY KAPLAN RESEARCHERS: a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization President-Director GRAPHIC DESIGNER: MARY FINELLI incorporated GEORGE ALLAN CATE, PhD, PATTRICE JONES in the State of Maryland. Vice President-Director GARY KAPLAN ANCTUARY SSISTANT Federal I.D.: 52-1705678 OFFICE MANAGER: S A : JOAN MEANOR SUSAN OCEAN CAROL BAKER EDITOR: HOLTGRAVER, MA, Karen Davis Secretary Treasurer-Director GRAPHIC DESIGN: Gary Kaplan/ GK Graphic Designs ADVISORS: Carol J. Adams, Author Ingrid Newkirk, PETA Deborah Tanzer, PhD, WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR: Nedim C. Buyukmihci, VMD Sheila Schwartz, PhD, Humane Psychologist Gary Kaplan/ GK Graphic Designs Sean Day, Attorney Education Committee of NYC In Memoriam: Henry Spira, Jim Mason, Author Kim Sturla, Animal Place Animal Rights International United Poultry Concerns • (757) 678-7875 2 P.O. Box 150 • Machipongo, VA 23405-0150 UNITED POULTRY CONCERNS FIFTH ANNUAL FORUM 2004 Saturday, August 21 – Sunday August 22, 2004 Mad Cows to Mad Chickens: What Insiders Can Tell You About Agribusiness, Animal Liberation, and Your Diet Meet the eyewitnesses and hear their testimony from “behind the scenes” of the meat, poultry, egg, dairy, medical, and “alternative” animal production industries. Including special guest Virgil Butler Hilton Airport Norfolk Hotel Lester Friedlander, DVM, former chief veteri- Norfolk, VA 23502 nary USDA Meat Inspector. Toll Free: 800-422-7474 Michael Greger, M.D., Mad Cow Coordinator Vegan Luncheons and morning coffee service pro- for the Organic Consumers Association. vided. Pattrice Jones, co-director of the Eastern Shore Registration: $75 per person. Students & seniors: Sanctuary & Education Center. $40. Jim Mason, co-author of Animal Factories and Speakers: author of An Unnatural Order. Sarahjane Blum, Foie Gras investigator, Paul Shapiro, campaigns director for Compassion GourmetCruelty.com. Over Killing. ___________________________________________ Virgil Butler, former Tyson chicken slaughter- house worker in Grannis, Arkansas. Register Now! Bring a Friend! Send check or money order to: Terry Cummings, codirector of Poplar Spring Farm Animal Sanctuary. United Poultry Concerns, Inc. PO Box 150 Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis, former dairy cow Machipongo, VA 23405-0150 farmer. 757-678-7875 FAX: 757-678-5070 Mary Finelli, farmed animal advocacy consultant. www.upc-online.org UNITED POULTRY CONCERNS WWW.UPC-ONLINE.ORG Volume 14, Number 2 UPC's 2003 Forum on Promoting Veganism Widely and Effectively (Part III). Talks are Now Available on VHS. n August 2003, UPC held our 4th Annual to demonstrators about why they're buying this prod- Forum at the University of Colorado, Boulder. uct, saying things like, "I thought about going vegetari- IFollowing are summaries of talks by Lauren an but I didn't know how." We hand them information Ornelas of Viva!USA (vivausa.org) and Bruce Friedrich about how easy it is to get started. We also have food, of PETA (Peta.org).Other taped speakers are Zoe Weil, like vegan ice cream and delicious meat substitutes. Paul Shapiro, Jack Norris, Karen Davis, Pattrice Jones, People flock to food, and we want to show them the and Carol Adams. Order single presentations or the convenient options. We say, "Save a cow, eat vegan ice whole set from Video Transfer, 5800 Arundel Ave, cream." Rockville, MD 20852. Call 301-881-0270 or fax 301- We've investigated dairy cow and duck operations 770-9131 or email [email protected]. All and made videos of what we found for distribution. We orders must be prepaid by check, money order or credit show people large and small operations so they see card (MasterCard, Visa, & American Express). $15 each this cruelty isn't just on big farms. We show people + shipping. what goes on in their own backyard. People driving by We thank Annie & Neil Hornish for videotaping these places often have no idea. We expose them to the these inspiring, permanently valuable 45-minute presen- facts. tations. One of our big campaigns is to stop the sale of duck meat. People are surprised to learn that ducks are treat- "My Experience Going From Working on Anti- ed just like chickens and turkeys: they're debilled, force- Vivisection to Veganism" by Lauren Ornelas molted, boiled alive, kept in cramped, filthy conditions, and forced to drink from nipple-drinkers. As waterfowl, When I worked ducks need water to maintain their health. They devel- on vivisection issues op eye diseases and other infections when they can't full-time, I often felt immerse themselves frequently during the day, and they ineffective trying to are miserable. get universities to No matter how bad I might feel, for the animals change their practices. I go out and act positive and energetic. I have Gail Eisnitz' book changed myself from negative to positive for their Photo By: Annie & Neil Hornish Slaughterhouse opened sake, and I have become well-informed.