Yakima Co. Sheriff's Office defends controversial decision to kill roosters amid outcry

Editor's Note: The following article addresses the sensitive and distressing subject of cockfighting and animal cruelty.ty.

It's been nearly two weeks since Yakima County deputies used shotguns to shoot and kill more than 60 roosters.

On Wednesday evening, in response to a report from FOX 13 Seattle, the Yakima County Sheriff's Office attempted to reason with the public about the killing method used and the overall decision to kill the roosters, even though they knew that a wildlife sanctuary had worked with the ATF so they could safely rehome the birds.

“Given manpower and resource limitations, we were faced with the difficult decision of what to do with the 64 roosters,” a spokesperson wrote in a Facebook post.

The statement went on to write that the situation “underscores the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and animal welfare organizations.”

As FOX 13 Seattle previously reported, no one from animal control or the Yakima County Sheriff's Office ever contacted Heartwood Haven, the group that had previously sheltered more than 40 roosters from the same cockfighting bust in another property.

The Yakima County Sheriff's Office's reasoning: If they hadn't killed the roosters, they would have been moved and returned to fighting, even though they admitted in the same statement that the raid on the property took place two weeks previously and the birds had not been moved.

Heartwood Haven told FOX 13 they are ready and willing to drive to the property at any time.

“I would have literally thrown as many boxes and racks as I could into the trailer and be out of here in 10 minutes,” said Kate Tsyrklevich, co-founder of Heartwood Haven.

“They knew we were ready and we wanted them. We wanted them as soon as possible… finished so we could continue the rescue and try to repatriate them,” Tsyrklevich said. “Basically, to try to prevent an incident like this from happening.”

Resettling cockfighting birds

Tsyrklevich's group is one of a growing number of animal sanctuaries in the United States that have shown that roosters bred for cockfighting can be successfully rehomed. His nonprofit started after he rescued a rooster named Porter.

Porter was such a calm rooster that Tsyrklevich regularly took him for walks around his neighborhood in the early years. This experience then turned into a mission to save the animals. Heartwood Haven Farm even grew from 2.5 acres to 40 acres, while changing locations within the state.

The Justice Department in April announced a massive cockfighting operation involving La Nuestra Familia, a Mexican-American prison gang. Tsyrklevich was brought to the scene through contact with the ATF to rescue more than 40 roosters.

According to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office, the ATF was working on a warrant so they could seize the remaining roosters at the second location that was part of the original raid.

During this shutdown period, the roosters remained on the property. While Heartwood Haven found homes for each rooster, a number were sent to individual homes and some were sent to animal sanctuaries in other states for future placement.

“We did a lot of work to prepare, but really all of that work was to save these animals… to show the world that this is possible, to set an example for future rescues in our state,” Tsyrklevich said.

What went wrong in Yakima County?

Deputies were called to a Yakima County property earlier this month for neglected or unfed horses at the roosters' location.

When deputies observed the roosters, they decided they would be moved if they did not euthanize them that day. In a statement posted on social media, deputies were told the ATF could not help.

The sanctuary that had previously assisted in the seizure of the roosters was never contacted. However, the sheriff's office Facebook post highlights the lack of time and distance of the rescue.

“We do not have an on-call veterinarian to euthanize with a needle, and a veterinarian would not put themselves in danger with aggressive, angry roosters specifically bred to fight,” the statement said.