The rooster dubbed Henry hit national headlines last week after spending five months on the run in Glen Rd, Dunedin, and garnering noise complaints because of its early morning crowing.
The city council gave Glen Rd resident Alex Kerr until today to capture the bothersome bird before pest control staff would attempt to catch the rooster — or failing that, shoot him. But yesterday, Mr Kerr caught Henry after appealing to his most animal of instincts.
"I used the biggest weapon of all — attraction," Mr Kerr said.
"[I went] out and got a hen and put it in a big cage and backed it up with another big cage and filled it up with grass and food and put it by the spot he liked to have a dust bath.
"He saw the hen puffing and preening and it was an easy job."
Henry would now spend his days on a Taieri Mouth farm, "hopefully to have a happy life", Mr Kerr said.
He was thankful the council provided a stay of execution from Friday until Monday to give him the extra time to capture the bird.
Mr Kerr had fed Henry for months to try to get close to catch him but he always bolted when he got within a metre.
He was "absolutely stoked" to save Henry’s life and the bird was also "in good spirits" following his capture.He thanked those who contacted him with suggestions or helped with the capture.
