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Ranking of State Cockfighting Laws

Updated Sept. 31, 2009

Cockfighting is illegal in every state and the District of Columbia, but the penalties for the crime vary by state. Below, the 50 states and the District of Columbia are ranked in tiers, according to whether they consider each of four offenses (cockfighting itself; being a spectator of cockfighting; possession of fighting cocks; and possession of cockfighting weapons) a felony, a misdemeanor or legal. Within each tier, the states are ranked by length of jail sentence and fines imposed.

All fighting birds suffer greatly, and states at the bottom of the list should toughen their penalties for cockfighting. Lax laws against owning fighting cocks or being a spectator at a fight make it more difficult for law enforcement to crack down on this cruel bloodsport.

Browse this file or jump to a specific state.

State	Cockfighting	Possession of Birds for Fighting	Spectator at a Cockfight	Possession of Implements	Rank
4 Felony
Colorado	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	1
Oregon	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	Class C Felony¹ Max 5 years Max $125,000	2
Florida	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	3
Virginia	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	4
Michigan	Felony Max 4 years $5,000- $50,000 500-100 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $5,000-$50,000 500-100 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $1,000- $5,000 250-500 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $1,000- $5,000 250-500 hours community service	5
3 Felony
Illinois	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	Class C Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $1,500	6
Iowa	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750-$7,500	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750-$7,500	Aggravated misdemeanor Max 2 years $500-$5,000	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750-$7,500	7
Maryland	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,500	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	8
3 Felony, 1 Legal
New Jersey	Crime of the 3rd Degree 3-5 years $3,000-$5,000	Crime of the 3rd Degree 3-5 years $3,000-$5,000	Crime of the 3rd Degree 3-5 years $3,000-$5,000	Legal	9
Arizona	Class 5 Felony 9 mo - 2 years Max $150,000	Class 5 Felony 9 mo - 2 years Max $150,000	Class 6 Felony 6 mo - 1.5 years Max $150,000	Legal	10
Pennsylvania	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	Legal	11
New Hampshire	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Legal	12
Nebraska	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Legal	13
Washington	Class C Felony 5 years $10,000	Class C Felony 5 years $10,000	Class C Felony 5 years $10,000	Legal	14
Connecticut	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Legal	15
Vermont	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Legal	16
Massachusetts	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 1 year (house of correction) Max $1,000	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 1 year (house of correction) Max $1,000	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 2.5 years (house of correction) Max $1,000	Legal	17
Delaware	Class F Felony Max 3 years Discretionary fine	Class F Felony Max 3 years Discretionary fine	Class G Felony Max 2 years Discretionary fine	Legal	18
Rhode Island	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Legal	19
2 Felony
Indiana	Class D Felony 6 mo - 3 years Max $10,000	Class D Felony 6 mo - 3 years Max $10,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Class B Misdemeanor Max 180 days Max $1,000	20
2 Felony, 1 Legal
Minnesota	Felony Min 1 year 1 day	Felony Min 1 year 1 day	Misdemeanor Max 90 days Max $1,000	Legal	21
Oklahoma	Felony Max 10 years Max $25,000	Felony 1-10 years $2,000-$25,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Legal	22
Arkansas	Class D Felony Max 6 years Max $10,000	Class D Felony Max 6 years Max $10,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $1,000	Legal	23
Alaska	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	Violation No jail time Max $500	Legal	24
Washington, D.C.	Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 180 days Max $1,000	Legal	25
Maine	Class C crime Court must impose a fine of $500 max, in addition to: Max 5 years; Max $5,000	Class C crime Court must impose a fine of $500 max, in addition to: Max 5 years; Max $5,000	Class D crime Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	26
North Dakota	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	27
New York	Felony Max 4 years Max $25,000	Felony Max 4 years Max $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $15,000	Legal	28
Wisconsin	Class I Felony Max 3 years, 6 months Max $10,000	Class I Felony Max 3 years, 6 months Max $10,000	Class A misdemeanor Max 9 months Max $10,000	Legal	29
Wyoming	Felony Max 2 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $750	Legal	30
2 Felony, 2 Legal
Montana	Felony 1-5 years Max $5,000	Felony 1-5 years Max $5,000	Legal	Legal	31
1 Felony, 1 Legal
Missouri	Class D Felony Max 10 years	Legal	Class A Misdemeanor Min 6 months	Class A Misdemeanor Min 6 months	32
Kansas	Level 10 Nonperson Felony Max 1-5 years Max $10,000	Legal	Class B Nonperson Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Class A Nonperson Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,500	33
1 Felony, 3 Legal
Georgia	Felony 1-5 years Max $15,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	34
Texas	Felony 180 days - 2 years Max $10,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	35
North Carolina	Felony 3-8 months to 4-10 months	Legal	Legal	Legal	36
Misdemeanor
California	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	37
Ohio	4th Degree Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $250	4th Degree Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $250	4th Degree Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $250	1st Degree Misdemeanor Max 180 days Max $1,000	38

Misdemeanor, 1 Legal
Nevada	Gross Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Gross Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	39
Tennessee	Class A Misdemeanor Max 11 months & 29 days Max $2,500	Class A Misdemeanor Max 11 months & 29 days Max $2,500	Class C Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $50	Legal	40
West Virginia	Misdemeanor Max 1 year $100-$1,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months $300-$2,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year $100-$1,000	Legal	41
New Mexico	Petty Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Petty Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Petty Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Legal	42
Misdemeanor, 2 Legal
South Dakota	Class 1 Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	Class 1 Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	43
South Carolina	Misdemeanor: Max 1 year Max $1,000	Legal	Misdemeanor: Max 1 year Max $1,000	Legal	44
Utah	Class B Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	Class B Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	45
Louisiana	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	46
Misdemeanor, 3 Legal
Hawaii	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	47
Kentucky	Class A Misdemeanor Max 12 months Max $500	Legal	Legal	Legal	48
Idaho	Misdemeanor Max 6 months $100-$5,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	49
Mississippi	Misdemeanor 10 days-100 days $10-$100	Legal	Legal	Legal	50
Alabama	Misdemeanor; $20 - $50 fine	Legal	Legal	Legal	51

Related Links

Cockfighting Fact Sheet

Cockfighting

State Cockfighting Laws

Sample Letter to the Editor about Cockfighting