Bird Abuse

Types of bird abuse how a bird may act if it is being abused:

• You may often hear of dogs and cats being abused, but you probably don’t hear a lot about bird abuse (idausa.org). The fact is, birds are smuggled into countries illegally and bred to fight one another.

• Most people believe that bird abuse is wrong because it hurts the birds, but some try to justify it because it has been happening for centuries. “There are also those who see rooster fighting as a traditional activity and part of their culture. Fighting has been known for over 3000 years! It was enjoyed in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It was also very popular in medieval Europe. In many countries this activity was considered noble and often the rooster fights became a national sport... Therefore, they believe that [rooster] fighting should be allowed and considered a sport that people enjoy.” Some people argue that different breeds of roosters also may have become extinct if not for cockfighting and smuggling (library.thinkquest.com).

Cockfighting:

• Cockfighting is when two roosters are put head to head in a battle ring to the death. People can bet and make prophet from this (illegal), "sport."

• A cockfight is a blood sport, held in a ring called a cockpit. The history of raising fowl for fighting goes back 6,000 years. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1634, after the term "cock of the game" used by George Wilson, in the earliest known book on the sport of cockfighting in The Commendation of Cocks and Cock Fighting in 1607.

• Cock fighting is one way that people earn money. This is where two roosters are placed in an arena with knives on their feet. They are bred to fight to the death. Even though it’s illegal in almost all of the United States, it still goes on here. Hundreds of thousands of dollars can be gambled as people bet on the roosters (petcaretips.net).

• In organized cockfights, the roosters’ natural fighting instincts are exaggerated through breeding, feeding, training, steroids and vitamins. A bird may undergo several months of training before a fight, which may involve running long obstacle courses (and even treadmills) and practice fights with other roosters. Just before a fight, most of the bird’s feathers are plucked and the breeder cuts off the animal’s wattles—the combs below the beak—so that his opponent cannot tear them off.

• Once in the ring, roosters often wear knives or artificial gaffs (long, dagger-like attachments) that are sharp enough to puncture a lung, pierce an eye or break bones in order to inflict maximum injury. Fights may be held in abandoned factories, backyards or even basements and can last anywhere from a few seconds to 15 minutes. While the rules usually do not require one or both birds to die in order to declare a winner, death is often the outcome due to the severity of injuries.

Bird Smuggling:

• Another way that people earn quick money is to smuggle birds. They are brought across the borders to be sold in the black market. Parakeets and parrots are two of the most common types. People love them for their bright feathers and are willing to pay a lot for them (Munez/ idausa.org). This can cause many other problems for the bird's well being and physical and mental health. This is abuse...

Hoarding of birds

Coloring and dying chicks:

• This involves a chick inside of an unhatched egg being injected with dye so that when it hatches, it is dyed whatever color they were injected with. Here is a link to a website that explains this more thoroughly: http://chickscope.beckman.illinois.edu/resources/egg_to_chick/coloring.html

Overall malnourishment and poor to no care of animal

Physical harm:

• This can include hitting, punching, throwing, choking, shaking, kicking, in some cases tying

Citation: “Chickscope 1.5: Resources: From Egg to Chick.” Illinois.edu, 2022, chickscope.beckman.illinois.edu/resources/egg_to_chick/coloring.html. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.

Now we've given you information, situations, examples, myths, facts, and truths about bird abuse, and now it is your turn to go out into the real world with us!

What can you do:

• Donate money to help rescues and other animals in need

• Always be aware and ready to help in any abuse situation.

• Foster a bird until they find their forever home, then they may have more chance of being adopted, and they won't have to stay in a cage until they do! No animal deserves to be locked up, and especially not euthanized. You could save a life.

• Rescue and adopt a bird that needs your help. Most people don’t understand the pain they go through throughout their lives, be their hero!

NOW LET'S GET OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD AND START MAKING CHANGES TODAY!