Her friend, Wayne, though, was still on the lam (and under the bushes and up in the trees). Both were frightened. But these little hens didn’t know that these folks were there to save their lives—and change them for the better.

Before the strangers came along with their net, Pete and Wayne lived with a backyard flock. But when their guardian left the state, they left the birds behind, abandoning them in the wooded yard. Without food, shelter, or protection from predators, their odds of survival were slim.

But then a hero came along. A compassionate neighbor gave them food and access to his yard and porch for safety. Still, they needed more than he could provide. After losing a few of the flock to predators, he asked for help rehoming the rest. They weren’t far from our New York shelter, but by the time we learned about them, Pete and Wayne were the only ones left. 

We had no time to lose.

Before we could rescue Pete and Wayne, we had to work with law enforcement to see if their original guardian still had rights. The law treats farm animals as property, which means they have far fewer protections than animals like dogs and cats. As a result, people can get away with abuse and neglect that would be considered criminal if it involved other living beings. If the law doesn’t think a farm animal’s situation is “bad enough,” our hands are tied. 

These girls were lucky. Animal Control made multiple attempts to reach their guardian to no avail. They labeled the hens as abandoned and available for rehoming. But getting permission was only the beginning.

As junglefowl (a smaller, more agile chicken breed), Pete and Wayne are fast on foot and wing. And as prey animals with an instinct to flee, these girls are really good at fleeing. 

The tables turned, finally, when the hens made a break for their favorite pine tree. Pete miscalculated her flight, and before she knew it, she’d been caught in the landing net, brought gently back to earth, and secured in a travel crate. Wayne watched all this from her perch 20 feet up in the tree. She was out of our reach and safe from predators for now. We decided to postpone her rescue until the next day. Surely, we’d catch her then.

We were not able to catch her the next day. Nor the next. Wayne disappeared under bushes, escaped up her beloved tree, and fled to other neighbors’ yards. 

It was time to adjust our strategy.

We gave Wayne a few days to settle down and then returned to the yard with more netting. We tented the bushes from top to ground, carving out space for her to enter but not fly out. Then, our team, including the neighbor, set up a stakeout at the edge of the yard. Once Wayne settled in her netted bushes, we tiptoed over, landing nets in hand. We inched forward from all sides, hoping to catch her unaware. 

Wayne was very aware—and she wasn’t having it. But when she burst out of the bushes to escape, she ran into the netting! Our caregiver scooped her in his arms, beaming with the knowledge that Wayne was now safe. Eleven days after securing Pete, we finally rescued her best friend.

All this time, Pete had been quarantined at our onsite small animal hospital. This is standard for all incoming animals. It allows us to give them thorough care and helps prevent the spread of any diseases. Animals who come from the same place, like Wayne and Pete, can convalesce together.

Back at Farm Sanctuary, Wayne and Pete were reunited. Both had Coccidia, a parasite that can destroy the digestive system if left untreated. With medication, though—and the support of their friendship—both made a complete recovery. In a couple of weeks, they were ready to join a flock of their own.

We placed these free spirits with our Cement Barn flock, a group that can roam our grounds each day. To our delight, it’s been a great fit. Pete is enamored with Norm, snuggling behind the protective rooster each night. And the once flighty Wayne now seeks out our affection; she especially loves a good back scratch!

Both have come so far since their bush-hiding days. Pete and Wayne are no longer afraid. They have nourishing food, a safe place to sleep, and a new family of humans and birds by their side. Thanks to their caring friend, they will be safe for life. They know that here, there is love—and that they’re here to stay.