The New York Police Department, working with animal‑advocacy volunteers, rescued nearly 300 live chickens from two abandoned U‑Haul trucks in Brooklyn over the weekend of September 19 and 20, 2026. The birds were transferred to an undisclosed sanctuary, averting a planned slaughter.
Police officers first encountered the trucks while conducting routine patrols in Brooklyn on Saturday. Upon opening the vehicles, they found the chickens confined inside and in need of immediate care. The department called upon local animal‑welfare volunteers, including members of a humane‑group network and individual advocate John Di Leonardo, to assist with the rescue.
The collaborative effort spanned both Saturday and Sunday. NYPD personnel secured the area while volunteers organized the safe removal of the chickens from the trucks. Using portable cages and transport crates, the team moved the birds to a temporary holding location before delivering them to a sanctuary whose name was not released to the public.
Authorities indicated that the chickens were apparently destined for slaughter, a fate that was halted by the joint operation. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about the treatment of animals in transport vehicles, prompting police and animal‑rights groups to monitor similar situations more closely. The rescued chickens are now under the care of the sanctuary, where they will receive appropriate feeding and veterinary attention.
The rescue operation demonstrates a coordinated response between law‑enforcement and animal‑welfare organizations when potential cruelty is identified. No injuries to the birds were reported, and the trucks remain under investigation for abandonment and possible violations of animal‑transport regulations.