Abandoned Rooster Weighing Only 1 Pound Needs Your Help to Survive! (VIDEO)

When people think of abandoned companion animals, they typically think of dogs relinquished to shelters or cats released outside and left to their own devices. However, dogs and cats are not the only ones; roosters are also very often abandoned by their guardians.

When people see adorable fluffy baby chicks in feed stores or elsewhere, they are quick to scoop up one or a few to take home as “pets,” failing to realize that baby chicks grow at lightning speed and soon trade in their downy fluff for feathers. And once people realize a baby chick is a young rooster, they usually abandon them because most people do not live in rooster-friendly housing or simply do not want to have a grown chicken as a pet.

Although we do not know the backstory of the rooster featured in the above video posted by the chicken rescue organization, Hen Harbor, in Santa Cruz, California, the fact is he was abandoned in a park and would have perished if not for a kind citizen who stopped and took him to safety. Weighing in at just one pound, the rooster named Snowy was shaking from starvation and began to gobble food so quickly he nearly choked and died. After a healthy dose of fresh fruit, he began to take his first steps and gain some strength.

Snowy’s road to recovery is not over, however, and he still needs to be monitored and given medical care, which can be very expensive for birds. If you are able, please consider donating to the recovery and rehabilitation of abandoned roosters, which you can do here.

And please share this with your network to increase awareness of this serious issue.