Worker's disturbing find in suburban charity bin: 'Shock of my life'
Investigators are calling for public help to track down those responsible.
A charity worker was left shocked when he peered inside a donation bin outside a shopping centre during a routine collection.
Mixed amongst an array of clothing was a black nylon shopping bag, and inside was a box which contained something struggling to get out. “Whatever was inside wasn’t making any noise at all, so I undid the handles,” Alex Hackworth said.
Trapped inside, Alex found a “poor” frightened rooster. "I got the shock of my life," he added.
It had been a day and a half since Alex had last entered the Southern Cross Recycling bins at Kurralta Central shopping centre, close to Adelaide’s airport at 11:30am on December 19.
Concerned about the bird’s welfare, he immediately rushed it to a 24-hour vet located less than a kilometre away from the shopping centre. Believed to be around one year old, the rooster was quite small because it was a bantam variety of fowl.
He was given food and water and deemed to be in good health, but a little underweight. He is now in care at the RSPCA, where he’s been named Eric, and staff are seeking a forever home for him.
Offenders who dump animals face massive fines and jail time
Roosters are frequently abandoned or killed because they cannot be housed together and they fertilise chicken eggs, making them unusable.
Sadly, it’s not the first time Yahoo has reported on unwanted roosters being dumped inside bags. In May, a NSW sanctuary owner found two birds amongst rubbish that was dumped on the street.
In South Australia, abandoning an animal is an offence and offenders can face two years jail and a fine of up to $20,000.
The RSPCA is seeking public help to try and find those responsible for dumping the bird. The bin where the rooster was found was one of four located in the shopping centre carpark, which is located in Kurralta Park on Anzac Parade.
If you noticed suspicious behaviour around the bins, or have information about the bantam, you can contact the RSPCA directly on 1300 477 722.
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
