09/30/2026
This afternoon we got an anonymous email.... It came from a ROOSTER101 email that shows it is sent from "Roosters" which is confusing.
This weighed heavily on us as we decided whether to post it. We chose to share the email below with you all. We did not email back directly. We are posting our response here in the first comment so it won't be too long. We are sharing to further educate everyone that this is about standing up for our daughter, autism, and standing up to bullies. We HAPPILY live in this town. We support those in the town official positions. We are simply asking for them to be fair and clear.
From: Roosters
Date: Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Subject: Group 1 To all of the well-meaning businesses and individuals who genuinely want to support autism awareness
To all of the well-meaning businesses and individuals who genuinely want to support autism awareness: please take a moment to consider whether you may also be contributing to the Omelette Factory’s marketing strategy.
There are several unanswered questions surrounding the LeBlanc family’s move from Vermont to Maine that deserve to be considered before businesses and community members publicly align themselves with their cause.
For example, a Change petition titled “Demand the closure of Next Generation Childcare Centers for child safety violations” currently shows 333 verified signatures. The petition was created in May 2024 by former employees and parents and contains allegations concerning the treatment of children at Next Generation childcare facilities run by Sara LeBlanc.
One public comment on the petition alleges particularly disturbing treatment of a young child. The commenter describes being told by former employees that their 2½-year-old child had allegedly been wrapped in a blanket and restrained until falling asleep, and later describes finding the child with Sarah, outside barefoot and without a coat in early November. These are allegations made by a petition commenter, not independently established facts, but they are serious enough that anyone considering publicly supporting the family may wish to review the original petition and its contents for themselves.
Read the Change petition
There is also the issue of the roosters.
The LeBlancs have denied that the roosters were obtained as a marketing strategy. However, according to reporting by Shawn Sullivan of the Portland Herald, a 22-minute recording of David LeBlanc includes him discussing the purchase of the roosters and saying:
“So we went and bought all the roosters they had in Sanford. I bought them out … We’re going to make it part of our thing, you know?”
That recording is significant because it allows people to hear the statement in context rather than relying solely on a reporter’s recollection or characterization. The LeBlancs may dispute how the reporter interpreted or reported their statements, but a recording provides an opportunity for the public to evaluate the words themselves.
Earlier in the interview, David LeBlanc reportedly discussed his daughter primarily in connection with her enjoyment of the ocean and the family’s move from Vermont to Maine.
Questions surrounding the autism claim
Another important question concerns the use of autism as the basis for the rooster accommodation.
The Ogunquit ZBA reportedly attempted to work with the family and allowed two roosters under a disability waiver, despite the LeBlancs not providing any medical documentation typically required for a waiver.
It is important to distinguish what is known from what is being discussed publicly. I do not know whether Pyper has an autism diagnosis, whether she has been evaluated or reevaluated, or what medical documentation exists. There are rumors that she may be undergoing additional testing, but rumors should not be treated as facts.
If the matter ultimately reaches court, the relevant question should simply be what medical documentation existed, and when it existed.
That distinction matters because a child's medical diagnosis should never become a marketing tool or a public-relations device. If autism is being invoked publicly to support a business or community campaign, the focus should remain on the child's privacy, dignity, and legitimate needs—not on expanding a company's brand.
What does autism awareness actually have to do with roosters?
It is also reasonable for businesses considering partnerships or events to ask themselves a simple question: Is the rooster actually an established symbol of autism awareness, or has it become associated with this particular business through its own marketing?
A simple search for established autism-awareness symbols and organizations provides considerably more context. The commonly recognized symbols associated with autism awareness do not establish the rooster as a standard autism-awareness symbol.
That distinction is important for businesses that sincerely want to support autism awareness. They should be able to determine for themselves whether their involvement is supporting autism awareness generally or primarily helping promote one particular business.
The concern is not about opposing autism awareness. Quite the opposite. Autism awareness deserves to be supported based on compassion, accurate information, and respect for autistic individuals and their families—not through confusion between a charitable cause and a private business's branding.
Please do your own research
The LeBlanc family has every right to tell its side of the story, just as members of the public have the right to examine the available information and reach their own conclusions.
Before hosting a rooster on your property, participating in the “Blessing of the Roosters” on October 4, publicly advocating for the LeBlancs, or becoming involved in their legal dispute with the town, I encourage you to take a step back and look at the complete picture.
Ask yourself:
Are you supporting autism awareness—or are you unintentionally helping promote a business?
Read the petition. Listen to the recording if it is available. Review the public ZBA meeting documents. Look at the statements made by all sides. Ask questions. And, most importantly, distinguish verified facts from allegations, rumors, and marketing claims.
There will be additional questions regarding the business and its history that will become part of future news reporting and public discussion. Those developments should be evaluated on the evidence available at that time.
Thank you for your time,
A concerned Ogunquit citizen
