Group Rescued Abandoned Roosters, Birds Before Henri The Storm

BABYLON, NY—Long Island has an abandoned domestic animal problem, one animal rescuer says, and an especially vulnerable time for sick or injured animals is during storms. John Di Leonardo is the founder of LION—Long Island Orchestrating for Nature—and he and his volunteers rescue close to 1,000 animals a year on Long Island.

When Tropical Storm Henri loomed this past weekend, they searched the Town of Babylon for weak animals that may could be in jeopardy during bad weather. People call the group with information about sick or injured animals, like cignets, baby swans, that have infections that mean their parents can't properly care for them. Other times LION hunts for loose roosters, the product of people buying baby chicks only to illegally release them into the wild when they become too difficult to handle.

"A lot of times people see the animals but wait to call us until right before a storm," Di Leonardo told Patch.

"Then we get an influx of calls."

Di Leonardo, his wife and a few volunteers drove around hunting for a reported pheasant, some sick baby swans and a few roosters. They were able to round up almost all the animals, that are then cared for until LION can secure an animal sanctuary or private home to bring them to, usually in other states.

"Unfortunately not all the animals survive the storm," Di Leonardo explained.

"The majority of animals we rescue are domestic species" that are not equipped to withstand predators or extreme weather.

"Babylon isn't any different than other parts of Long Island: There are roosters abandoned all over the place."

The couple also found a very ill feral cat before Henri hit, that they may keep as a pet. But it's a struggle to find homes for all the Peking ducks, the roosters and hens and other domestic bird species that are not meant to live on Long Island ponds. The group is always looking for volunteers to transport and assist with rescues and rehoming.

If you see an animal that doesn't belong, Di Leonardo says, call a humane organization or LION.

"These animals won't survive on their own."

Abandoning domestic species including chicken and ducks is a crime, punishable with hefty fines.