The removal and rehoming of the chickens from Titirangi Village is a step closer, following the news that Auckland Council is set to appoint a contractor.
Following a competitive tender process, a contract for the job will be awarded within the next two weeks. Work would be expected to begin to remove the chickens within a few weeks of the appointment to allow for preparations to be made.
In July, Waitākere Ranges Local Board agreed to remove the chickens, with capture and rehoming of the birds the preferred method of control.
Humane removal
Agnes McCormack, Auckland Council Head of Operational Management and Maintenance, says that the process will be carried out as humanely as possible.
“Our contract will stipulate that the birds are handled humanely, and wherever possible birds will be rehomed.
“When underway, the operation will take a number of days, involving multiple capture sites with bespoke pens erected at each location.
Successful operation
“We will need the help of the general public to not feed the chickens during this time so we can ensure we get all the birds and that the operation is successful.
“Though we will do all we can to rehome all the birds, should chickens be found to be particularly old or in a poor state of health and unable to be rehomed, they would be humanely euthanized in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act.
“I want to reassure the public that we will not be using any poison during this process”, she says.
