Ezra the Rooster One Year Later – From Sacrifice to Saving Grace
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Robert Grillo, Free From Harm as posted on United Poultry Concerns (UPC)
November 2014

[NOTE from All-Creatures: For background about Ezra, read Ezra the Rooster Sacrificed, then Saved]

Ezra was first seen on Christmas Eve 2013 on a freezing day in Chicago in a cemetery. His legs were bound together and he was covered with ribbons, a doll and a piece of raw meat. A week later, on New Year’s Eve, the person who had first seen him and called the police discovered Ezra still lying in the cemetery tied to the same tombstone in the blistering cold. Suffering from severe frostbite, Ezra underwent surgery in January to remove his feet and part of a leg infected with gangrene. Someone had also hacked off part of his upper beak. His prognosis was grim.

October 26, 2014

Hi Karen,

As promised, I am getting back to you with an update on Ezra. He’s doing great! He has become very attached to Melissa Summer-Pena, his caregiver here in Chicago. He loves to cuddle with her and he coos after her when she leaves the room. He also cleverly mocks people who laugh and sneeze! He responds by mimicking what he hears from others. Ezra’s mobility is very impressive for someone who had his feet amputated almost 8 months ago. Callouses have grown over his stumps and he no longer develops sores there. Ezra now has a close chicken companion named Louise. He is sweet, happy, friendly, much loved, loving – and very vocal!

Robert Grillo, Executive Director of Free from Harm

Ezra rescued rooster
Ezra serenades Melissa while she works


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