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Oviedo's beloved pet rooster Fred has died
A beloved rooster that had become a bit of a celebrity in Oviedo, Florida has flown the coop for the great hen house in the sky. Emma Reichert, an Oviedo real estate agent, posted on her Facebook page that her pet rooster Fred, the "Crown Prince Rooster of Oviedo," had recently died – "untimely death… at the hands of night critters."
ORLANDO, Fla. - A beloved rooster that had become a bit of a celebrity in Oviedo, Florida has flown the coop for the great hen house in the sky.
Emma Reichert, an Oviedo real estate agent, posted on her Facebook page that her pet rooster Fred, the "Crown Prince Rooster of Oviedo," had recently died – "untimely death… at the hands of night critters."
Fred the Rooster [Credit: Emma Reichert]
The rooster was well-known and quite popular in the community and could typically be found outside Reichert's business, My Oviedo Store.
In Feb. 2021, Fred went missing which sent a heartbroken Reichert scrambling to find him. A security camera captured someone possibly snatching Fred, and the car and license plate number were recorded as well, police said. When investigators ran the license number they found their suspect, who told them he took Fred out of fear he would get run over. Fred was reunited with Reichert, who chose not to press charges.
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'Fred the Rooster' returned to owner Emma Reichert
In Feb. 2021, Fred went missing which sent a heartbroken Reichert scrambling to find him. A security camera captured someone possibly snatching Fred, and the car and license plate number were recorded as well, police said. When investigators ran the license number they found their suspect, who told them he took Fred out of fear he would get run over. Fred was reunited with Reichert, who chose not to press charges.
RELATED: 'Fred the Rooster' returned to Oviedo business owner after reported missing
In announcing Fred's demise, Reichert said her prized rooster loved to pose for photographs and "brought so much joy to everyone who met him." The friendly fowl was also great with children, she said, and even with adults who might have felt a little uneasy around birds.
Others began to leave tributes on her post.
"I’m so sorry to hear this," one commentator named Zoe wrote. "I have always been afraid of birds. Fred was the only one I really loved and would actually go up to and pet. He was such a special guy."
"Fred was part of the Oviedo community and Oviedo history. He was so well loved, and he was a very lucky chicken to have you as his mama who cared for him so well!" wrote Kelli. "RIP little Fred."
Fred had a large presence on social media, and you can see more photos and videos on the bird's Facebook and Instagram accounts. You can also leave condolences on Reichert's Facebook page.
Read Reichert's full post announcing Fred's death below:
"We are deeply saddened to share that Fred, the Crown Prince Rooster of Oviedo has left us. He met his untimely death last night at the hands of night critters that were just too many and too strong to fight off. He was more than just another Oviedo chicken, he was kind to children - big and small, he loved to pose for any camera, and he brought so much joy to everyone who met him. We're still processing this tragedy and feel certain many of you are just as shocked and saddened as we are. Thank you for loving Fred for all these years."