Labrador man's pet rooster killed by roaming husky

A Happy Valley-Goose Bay man whose pet rooster was killed by a roaming husky is urging dog owners to take responsibility for their animals roaming around the town.

"It's everyone's worst nightmare as far as their pets are concerned to find another animal ripping it apart," said Mitch Maidment, who considered Marty the rooster part of his family.

My parents considered him their grandchild pretty much.- Mitch Maidment

Maidmentsaid the dog showed up at his housethis past Sunday when he and his rooster woke at sunrise.

He opened the door with the bird on his shoulder to say hello to the dog which had visited his place months before.

"Most dogs are fine, you know. I introduce Marty to all the dogs. He knows what a dog is. Dogs know what he is," Maidment said.

Dog clawed cage dooropen

After the huskywent away, Maidment put the rooster in the little shedhe had built for him in the backyard, which includes a caged-in area.

Then he took a nap.

"I woke up probably 10 o'clock in the morning and the dog was out here chewing on Marty," he told CBCRadio's Labrador Morning."I would have never expected anybody would be able to get into that cage."

Maidmentthoughtthe structure was dog-proof as other dogs had previously tried to get in but hadn't been able to.

But the husky was determined.

Maidment pointed to where the dogleft claw marks and paw prints on the rooster's house close to the door latch.

He said the dog was hungry, and he fed it some meat which it gobbled down.

Blame the owner

Maidment said dogowners need to make sure their animals are not roaming.

"If people don't want to take responsibility, then maybe they should be put through some sort of extra scrutiny by the SPCA. You know, take a look at them, make sure the dog is living in a good home," he said.

The town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay's dog regulations state that every owner must "keep the dog safely tethered or penned in accordance with the Animal Health and Protection Act."

Those who don't can face fines and or imprisonment.

The townalso says it encourages residents to report any incidents with stray dogs.

Public safety is a real concern Maidment said, recalling a warning from his grandfather, a physician who worked in Labrador.

"You know these huskies have a history of killing people. Seeing how my rooster's neck got snapped like that, immediately brought to mind my grandfather telling me as a child, that's what a husky will do to you. It'll run up and grab you, and that's that. It's done in a second."

A really good pet

Maidment got his rooster after a friend hatched him 11 months ago, and saidhis pet followed commands to stay and follow, and would flap his wings on command.

There are also videos on Facebook of Marty playing soccer, kicking around a ball.

"My parents considered him their grandchild pretty much. They called him their grandchild," Maidment said, noting that his best buddy would spend hours sitting on his lap.

Marty's first birthday would have been on July 5.

"He definitely didn't deserve an end like that," Maidmentsaid.