Animal rescue stories

RSPCA South Australia is seeking public help with investigations into the dumping of a young bantam rooster inside a Southern Cross Recycling charity bin at Kurralta Park.

Estimated to be about one-year-old, the bantam was found by chance by Alex Hackworth, who is employed to empty the bins which are located in the carpark of the Kurralta Central shopping centre on Anzac Highway at Kurralta Park.

At around 11.30pm on Tuesday 19 December, Alex was in the process of emptying one of the four large bins when he came across a black nylon shopping bag tied up by the handles and buried under several bags of donated goods. When he untied the handles to open the bag he found it contained a wine bottle carton with something moving inside.

“I got the shock of my life when it happened,” Alex said.

“Whatever was inside wasn’t making any noise at all, so I undid the handles and found this poor bird.”

Alex said the last time he had emptied the bins was on 17 December, meaning the bantam could have been trapped inside the bin for up to a day and a half. He immediately took the bantam to the 24-hour Adelaide Animal Emergency and Referral Centre on Anzac Highway, fortunately located within just a few hundred metres of the shopping centre. Staff provided the bantam with food and water and assessed him as underweight but otherwise unharmed by his ordeal.

An RSPCA SA rescue officer transported the bantam to the Lonsdale shelter where he has fully recovered and is now looking for a new home. He’s been named Eric by the RSPCA staff caring for him.

“We really want to find a great home for him, everyone loves him,” said Rozanna Henshaw, an RSPCA SA Animal Care Officer.

Abandoning an animal is an offence under South Australia’s Animal Welfare Act, and anyone found guilty can face up to 2 years imprisonment or a $20,000 fine.   

Anyone with any information is urged to contact RSPCA on 1300 4 777 22.