Laurel woman guilty of animal cruelty in killing Ocean Springs legend 'Carl the Rooster'

Lici Beveridge, Hattiesburg American
·2 min read
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"Carl The Rooster," sitting peacefully in front of a local Ocean Springs restaurant on a Saturday morning.
"Carl The Rooster," sitting peacefully in front of a local Ocean Springs restaurant on a Saturday morning.

A former Jones County Juvenile Detention Center employee was found guilty in the death of Carl the Rooster, a fixture in downtown Ocean Springs.

Kendra Shaffer, 35, of Laurel stood trial Wednesday at Ocean Springs Municipal Court on a charge of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor.

“In Defense of Animals is pleased Shaffer has been found guilty, but we will continue to work toward updating the Mississippi state statute to give other animals the same protection from aggravated cruelty that is afforded to dogs and cats," said Doll Stanley, a senior campaigner for In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals. "Killing dogs or cats is a felony, but other species still suffer the same fear and pain from acts of abuse and deserve the same consideration.”

Ocean Springs:Jones County corrections officer cited in death of Carl the Rooster

Security footage from a business on Government Street shows Carl 2.0 being captured by a group of people around 3 a.m. on April 22.

Another video, taken roughly 15 minutes later in Biloxi, shows Shaffer dumping the rooster's body in a parking lot. Carl 2.0's body was never recovered.

“What happened to Carl is unacceptable, and why I co-authored Buddy’s Law to hopefully stop animal cruelty once and for all,” said state Sen. Bruce Wiggins of Pascagoula.

Carl 2.0 was a beloved community rooster who had thousands of fans in the visitors and residents who met him. Outrage was swift and loud after fans learned of Carl's death.

Shaffer was fired from the detention center after Jones County Sheriff's investigators interviewed her, the Clarion Ledger reported in an earlier story.

“The criminal charge against Ms. Shaffer by the Ocean Springs Police Department is serious and we do not tolerate or condone this behavior," Jones County Sheriff Joe Berlin said in a statement.

Shaffer will be sentenced at a later date.

In memoriam:Ocean Springs community will celebrate Carl the Rooster with Carl Fest. What to know.

Fans mourned Carl 2.0's death. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home donated a customized coffin with photos and an inscription, “Legends Never Die,” as a symbolic resting place for the city's unofficial mascot.

In June, a festival to honor the fallen rooster was held at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. CarlFest celebrated the life of Carl 2.0.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Jones County woman guilty in death of Carl the Rooster