A Hawaii nonprofit is trying to build the island's first sanctuary for neglected and abused chickens, a positive story for animal welfare but one still short on funding and political backing.

• Troopers Chicken Rescue takes in hurt and dumped chickens across Oʻahu, including roosters injured in cockfighting and left on the roadside.
• The group has no real sanctuary yet and runs out of volunteers' private homes, caring for birds ad hoc.
• Founder Brian Burns is pushing lawmakers to make cockfighting a felony, arguing the abuse trickles down into wider animal cruelty and reaches children.
• So far only one representative, Cory Chun, has backed the effort, with most legislators silent until after November.
• Rising costs for lumber, feed (about 100 pounds a day), and medical care mean the group leans heavily on donations at trooperschickenrescue.org.

Outlook: The group plans to re-engage lawmakers after November to secure land and funding for a permanent chicken sanctuary and to start thinning the island's feral flock by controlling eggs.