in pictures: the rooster cogburn ostrich ranch

December 21, 2012 | Hannah Joyce McCain

Some things are really weird. For example: Tucson drivers’ propensity to forget how four-way stops work when a bicyclist shows up at the intersection; Skrillex; and the fact that the NRA claims that keeping guns out of schools makes schools more, not less, dangerous places for kids. Obviously this list could go on forever, but let’s skip ahead to #38 on the List of Really Weird Things: the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch in Picacho, AZ. Holly and I went there as part of our “Discover Tucson” series (which seems to be developing a theme of discover-things-PETA-would-hate-about-Tucson. Sorry, PETA!). I’ll let the pictures (below) do most of the talking, but first I’ll explain that what I found weirdest and most unsettling about my trip to the ranch. Basically, it was unpleasant to partake in a system that commodifies human-animal relations in a completely asymmetrical relationship: the animals, instead of being left to themselves, spend their days begging from humans. Of course, it’s not a huge deal on the scale of messed-up-stuff-we-do-to-animals—at all. But is a visit to the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch my idea of fun? Nope. The donkeys were all right, though…

“Bonding” with the donkeys:

But seriously: “Little Donkeytown USA”? That’s so corny. Or I’m just a snob. Or some combination of the two.

One of the donkeys is a smiling donkey, so we had to Instagram about it.

The deer were pretty but bizarre to interact with. They are obviously wild animals. (You wouldn’t be able to tell from this adorable picture, though…)