First things first, our mission is to be a restorative, inspiring space that ensures safe refuge is available to displaced farmed animals. As an organization focused on providing a safe haven for farm animals, it is essential to have the support of those who believe in our mission. Now, let me share what fulfilling our mission looked like starting with an afternoon this past the summer that is never far from my mind.
We had received a request to help with roosters who had been dumped into the woods (and as domesticated birds, they stood no chance of surviving long in the wild). I’ve had enough experience to know that often, these requests for assistance are handled without much fanfare.
A Home For Misters
funded by the eric s margolis family foundation
funded by the eric s margolis family foundation
NOTE: Please proceed with caution if you choose to read this section. If your heart is heavy today, or you’d like to keep it from being that way, skip this section.
Minimal fanfare was not the case on June 28. The first thing we were met with when we entered the woods was a large pile of the remains of multiple other birds, presumably their brothers, who didn’t survive this cruel act of neglect. Roosters are unfairly given a bad reputation and victims of unimaginable cruelty simply for being boys. They are dumped in wooded areas (and even city parks) at a disturbingly common rate.
When ultimately caught all but 2 of the dumped roosters who were still alive, we were horrified by the condition they were in. They were being eaten alive by parasites, covered in wounds, and suffering from respiratory infections and eye injuries. Their skin was so inflamed and irritated that they had resorted to pulling out their own feathers in a desperate attempt to find relief. To add to their pain, some of them had even had their beaks cruelly cut, a practice commonly done to turkeys in large-scale farming.
Minimal fanfare was not the case on June 28. The first thing we were met with when we entered the woods was a large pile of the remains of multiple other birds, presumably their brothers, who didn’t survive this cruel act of neglect. Roosters are unfairly given a bad reputation and victims of unimaginable cruelty simply for being boys. They are dumped in wooded areas (and even city parks) at a disturbingly common rate. When ultimately caught all but 2 of the dumped roosters who were still alive, we were
horrified by the condition they were in. They were being eaten alive by parasites, covered in wounds, and suffering from respiratory infections and eye injuries. Their skin was so inflamed and irritated that they had resorted to pulling out their own feathers in a desperate attempt to find relief. To add to their pain, some of them had even had their beaks cruelly cut, a practice commonly done to turkeys in large-scale farming.
!
Finding the level of support needed, particularly for a species so often overlooked as being “a dime a dozen” with no significant level of consideration given to their plight, felt like a pipe dream.
Lily’s Place is funded solely by donations from a caring community of animal lovers across Canada. Outside of a one-time grant for wages for a student for the 2023 summer season through the Student Employment (SEED) Program, the organization receives no government funding. As such, we needed to seek financial support to keep The Misters here long-term.
There is a lot of careful planning involved in having a happy and harmonious rooster flock, and to keep The Misters here, they would need a building of their own, away from the barn, with a predator-proof run, where they can live out their lives in peace.
Thanks to YOUR generous support, we were able to provide The Misters with essential medical care and a space to decompress and heal at the sanctuary. They currently occupy a space at the house (our walk-in basement!) that is normally reserved for quarantining new bird intakes and as an emergency “warming room” for any animals in need during the brutal cold snaps of winter here in New Brunswick. The Misters came into that space as temporary residents, but we quickly decided that they had been through enough. We were determined to provide them with a forever home here at the sanctuary, but we didn’t have a space for them to move into after they healed up.
Thanks to YOUR generous support, we were able to provide The Misters with essential medical care and a space to decompress and heal at the sanctuary. They currently occupy a space at the house (our walk-in basement!) that is normally reserved for quarantining new bird intakes and as an emergency “warming room” for any animals in need during the brutal cold snaps of winter here in New Brunswick. The Misters came into that space as temporary residents, but we quickly decided that they had been through enough. We were determined to provide them with a forever home here at the sanctuary, but we didn’t have a space for them to move into after they healed up.
There is a lot of careful planning involved in having a happy and harmonious rooster flock, and to keep The Misters here, they would need a building of their own, away from the barn, with a predator-proof run, where they can live out their lives in peace.
Lily’s Place is funded solely by donations from a caring community of animal lovers across Canada. Outside of a one-time grant for wages for a student for the 2023 summer season through the Student Employment Experience Development (SEED) Program, the organization receives no government funding. As such, we needed to seek financial support to keep The Misters here long-term.
Finding the level of support needed, particularly for a species so often overlooked as being “a dime a dozen” with no significant level of consideration given to their plight, felt like a pipedream.
mr orange
mr blue
But as John Lennon said,
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”
mr pink
before
after
mr pink
Today, November 29th, 2023, with so much gratitude (and a lot of happy tears), I’m incredibly humbled to announce that The Eric S Margolis Family Foundation has FULLY FUNDED a permanent, 4-season 160-square-foot Rooster House with an almost 400 square foot fenced predator-proof outdoor enclosure.
Not only will this habitat house The Misters, but it will also provide Lily’s Place with room to take in more wayward roosters in 2024.
And it gets better - the new rooster habitat will also serve as an educational area to debunk myths, educate others on rooster flocks and bring awareness to the plight of roosters.
Thank you to The Eric S Margolis Family Foundation for this generous act of kindness and your commitment to supporting organizations that provide sanctuary to abused, neglected and abandoned animals like our beloved Misters!
Stay tuned to this page for progress updates as we build The Misters a forever home.
