Staff from a Sainsbury’s in Redditch discovered a distraught cockerel dumped in a bin bag with gaffer tape around its head and beak, the RSPCA said.
Employees spotted rustling coming from a black bin bag in the supermarket's recycling area, which has become a hotspot for fly tipping.
Upon opening the bag, they discovered the frightened black cockerel, which may have been used for cockfighting before being dumped.
Staff took off the tape and immediately alerted the RSPCA to Sainsbury's car park on Alvechurch Highway, Redditch, according to Birmingham Live.
RSPCA Inspector Claire Davey, who is currently investigating the case, appealed for the public to help the animal welfare charity piece together who is responsible.
She said: “Not only has this poor cockerel been dumped like rubbish at a recycling area but his face and beak were taped-up which would have been uncomfortable and extremely frightening for him.
"It seems like he had been left like this overnight and he could have easily suffocated if he hadn't been found by a kind staff member at the store. It is never acceptable to abandon any animal, but especially in this cruel and callous way.
"It’s unclear at this stage whether he is an abandoned pet or if he had been used for cockfighting, so we are keen to find out more information."
She added that it's believed the bag had been dumped the night before staff discovered it at 8.45am on May 31, in what is known locally as a 'fly tipping hotspot'.
“Sadly, it isn’t uncommon for cockerels to be abandoned," added Claire. "Sometimes, people may have taken on unsexed chicks, which have grown into noisy cockerels who obviously cannot provide eggs, and so they are then abandoned.”
A vet checked over the bird and found it was suffering from feather loss, mites and an issue with his sight. The animal is now in the care of a poultry boarding facility where he will be cared for until he can be rehomed.
The RSPCA has seen a rise in animals being abandoned by their owners of 13% in a year. In May this year, the charity received 1,822 reports to its emergency line over dumped pets compared to 1,609 abandonments for the same month the previous year.
“We would always urge anyone who is considering taking on any pet to ensure that they have the time, money and resources to care for that animal for the rest of their lives. We've launched a cost-of-living hub for anyone struggling.
"Chickens have specific behavioural and environmental requirements and keeping them should not be a decision that is taken lightly.”
