Fowl play at a York County waste center leaves locals in a flap over beloved roosters
York County residents are calling fowl after officials removed two roosters from a waste center on Monday and transported them to an undisclosed location.
The pair had become a beloved staple at the Allison Creek Collection and Recycling Center between Rock Hill and Lake Wylie, where they mysteriously showed up a few months back and remained ever since. Citizens said the birds added a spark of joy when they stopped by to do their chores.
But that location wasn’t safe, according to county spokesperson Greg Suskin.
“This is a busy place where citizens drive in and out. The chickens could’ve been injured or killed,” Suskin said. “It’s also a public safety issue.”
A supervisor at the recycling center contacted animal services and had the roosters transported to a sanctuary, Suskin said.
That move upset quite a few people.
“The chickens weren’t bothering anybody anyhow. They were just kind of cute, running around. I think the whole thing is just silly that they, that they took them away,” said Beverly Peterson, a regular who was dropping off waste on Tuesday.
Peterson was one of hundreds disappointed by the county’s action. A Facebook post by Lake Wylie resident John Gossett alerted her to the matter.
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“THE GOVERNMENT CONFISCATED OUR CHICKENS AT THE TRASH DUMP!!” Gossett wrote in a post on Monday. He called for residents to email York County Council and demand the animals’ safe return.
By Tuesday afternoon, his call to action accumulated 10,000 views and 250 reactions. Dozens in the comments confirmed they, too, emailed the county about their discontent.
“Those 2 chickens were sent from God to delight folks bringing their trash there. ‘Not really’ but who knows,” read one comment from Steve Wiese, whose profile identifies him as a Lake Wylie resident. “My grandson looked forward to seeing them when helping Papa bring his trash there.”
“Writing an email as we speak!” another comment from Clover resident Caitlin Walsh Jelenek read. “Ridiculous that resources go to something like this instead of where it’s really needed!”
Gossett told The Herald the two roosters kept to themselves and never wandered onto the pavement or near pedestrians. During the day, they sprawled out on the grassy areas surrounding the disposal bins or huddled under a nearby tree if conditions were windy.
In the evenings, one flew up a cedar tree on the waste center’s perimeter. The other crossed the road to get to the other side — where it roosted in another tree for the night. They’d meet back at the recycling center the next morning, Gossett said.
“They had it made,” Gossett said. “Just leave them alone. If something brings happiness to people and it’s not hurting anything, why bother? Leave it alone.”
The county doesn’t release details about the off-site locations where it takes animals, Suskin said. That’s for the safety of the creatures and the organizations that house them. But all partners are fully vetted and “have experience caring for these types of animals.”
Gossett said he’s skeptical the county took them to a sanctuary at all.
