The HSUS assisted law enforcement agents in raiding a cockfighting ring in Lake County, Ind., this morning, seizing approximately 70 birds. 

More than 30 officers from the Lake County Sheriff's Department seized the birds from a property near Gary, Ind., with the help of The HSUS.  Agents found firearms and cockfighting items, including gaffs, scales, cockfighting DVDs and cockfighting magazines.

According to Detective Michelle Weaver with the Lake County Sheriff's Department , charges will be filed in the case. The suspect, identified as Randall Martin was not home at the time, but his wife was taken in for questioning while officers attempted to contact Martin.

Indiana law provides a class D felony for promoting or staging an animal fight, using an animal in a fight or attending an animal fight while having an animal in one's possession, punishable up to one and a half years in prison.

Meanwhile in Washington on the opening day of the 110th Congress, lawmakers signaled the nation's growing abhorrence toward cockfighting by introducing a bill that would make animal fighting a felony punishable by up to three years in prison.

The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, introduced by Reps. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., would make it a felony to transport an animal across state or international borders for animal fighting.  Additionally, it would prohibit the interstate and foreign commerce in knives and gaffs designed for use in cockfighting.