[Also read from February 15: Ridgeland Chicken Toss: Animal Rights Witnesses & Rescuers Report]
The chicken toss consists of throwing many chickens, one or two at a time, up in the air from a roof. Crowds scramble to grab the birds as they fall to the ground. The chickens huddle together, freezing and fearful, in crates and bags, waiting to be thrown by participants who consider this cruel activity fun.
Please call these Dunn County officials, and politely urge them to prohibit
the “chicken toss” this year. Whether you reach a live person or a
recording, leave a brief, clear, and respectful message expressing your
concern for the chickens: their fear and possible injury and the frigid
weather.
Kevin Bygd
Dunn County Sheriff’s Office
615 Stokke Parkway
Menomonie, WI 54751
715-232-1564
[email protected]
Andrea Nodolf
Dunn County District Attorney’s Office
615 Stokke Parkway, Suite 1700
Menomonie, WI 54751
715-232-1687
[email protected]
Brian Johnson
Dunn County Board Supervisor District 1
N12038 890th Street
Colfax, WI 54730
715-658-1888
[email protected]
From: Letter to Dunn County Officials, Ridgeland, Wisconsin
“The chickens being subjected to this extremely stressful and terrifying
situation are not enjoying themselves. Such events teach children and others
that it’s acceptable to use animals for any human purpose, regardless of how
trivial and cruel. Our society needs to foster respect for the other
creatures with whom we share this planet. The ‘chicken toss’ is antithetical
to that aspiration. I urge you to use your influence to discontinue this use
of animals that is unquestionably inhumane.”
– Nedim C. Buyukmihci, VMD, Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Medicine,
University of California-Davis, Jan. 24, 2019.
United Poultry Concerns is joining Wisconsin-based Alliance for Animals and
In Defense of Animals again this year in politely urging the village of
Ridgeland in Dunn County, Wisconsin to cancel the “Chicken Toss” in
February, most likely Saturday, Feb. 15, since it is always held on Saturday
in mid-February.
The chicken toss consists of throwing many chickens, one or two at a time,
up in the air from a roof. Crowds scramble to grab the birds as they fall to
the ground. The chickens huddle together, freezing and fearful, in crates
and bags, waiting to be thrown by participants who consider this cruel
activity fun.
There is no similarity between a chicken being pulled from a container and
thrown roughly up in the air from a roof in the midst of a screaming mob,
and a chicken fluttering voluntarily to the ground from a perch in a quiet
place.
“Today, for the second year in a row, we drove up to the Ridgeland, WI
Pioneer Days event. The big attraction is throwing sick, frostbitten,
terrified chickens off of a roof into a sea of drunk, crazed and violent
humans. The community bills this event as a family friendly traditional
chicken ‘fly.’ As if all of these birds are willing participants for the
amusement and delight of the children and their doting parents. Many
activists came out this year from all over the Midwest and collectively we
were able to rescue 29 of these abused but wonderful birds. Some are already
on their way to good homes, or to the vet. We are working on finding homes
for some of the others and many will stay here with us at Farm Bird
Sanctuary.”
– Todd Wilson, Alliance for Animals
Thank you for everything you do for animals!
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