TIMES RECORD • May 24, 2021
A 20-pound rooster was saved from a dumpster in Brunswick last week. Unfortunately, not all abandoned roosters are so lucky. Rooster abandonment is a statewide issue. According to Melissa Andrews at Peace Ridge Sanctuary, the incident in Brunswick is much more common than most people realize. “We can’t take in as many as we’re being asked to take,” said Andrews, noting that each year the sanctuary gets hundreds of requests to take in roosters. “There are very few days that pass we don’t get called about roosters.” Peace Ridge Sanctuary is a non-profit located in Brooks that takes in abused farm animals. In Maine, abandonment of an animal is a Class D crime, publishable by up to 364 days incarceration and a $2,000 fine.