Kindergarten to complain after shooting of pet rooster

5:00 pm

A Kapiti Coast kindergarten plans to complain after a local council employee shot and killed its adopted pet rooster.

'Mr Rooster' was shot on Monday by a Kapiti Coast District Council (KCDC) animal control officer after months of complaints from local residents irritated by the cock's early morning crowing.

The rooster was shot without the knowledge of the staff of the Raumati South community kindergarten, which is 50km north-east of Wellington.

Principal Pettina Meades said the kindergarten committee had decided to send a letter to the KCDC expressing concern about a lack of communication from the council about their intentions to shoot Mr Rooster.

She said the school had not been asked to try and catch the rooster before it was shot and the council had not contacted the kindergarten since the shooting.

KCDC spokesman Tony Cronin denied that the rooster was shot on the kindergarten property and said he was "not sure the council were aware the kindergarten had adopted the rooster".

Mr Cronin said the bird was shot at once on the council reserve and "as far as the animal control officer was concerned, the rooster was a stray".

- HOROWHENUA-KAPITI CHRONICLE (LEVIN)