The Palmetto Family Council Speaks out Against Cockfighting

	©The HSUS
	Religious groups join humane groups in speaking out against cockfighting.

The Palmetto Family Council has produced a special edition of its Palmetto Family Focus newsletter that condemns cockfighting. The church bulletin insert will be distributed at churches throughout South Carolina on Sept. 21, which is Anti-Gambling Sunday in many South Carolina churches, particularly Southern Baptist ones.

The newsletter [PDF] states, "Gambling is the entertainment of a society that has lost its moral bearings, and there is no stronger example than the degenerate practice of cockfighting."

"Cockfighting is an extremely cruel activity that lacks any socially redeeming value," said John Goodwin, manager of animal fighting issues for The Humane Society of the United States.

The Palmetto Family Council is a strong opponent of cockfighting and has joined The HSUS in lobbying for successful anti-animal fighting initiatives since 2006.

"Gambling and cockfighting are societal ills that are each harmful to our communities on their own; however, when you combine the two, you get people betting on the outcome of undeniable cruelty, and that is simply unacceptable," said Oran Smith, Ph.D., president of the Palmetto Family Council.

Cockfighting is illegal in most states but proliferates in states where strong felony laws do not exist, such as South Carolina.

High-resolution cockfighting images are available at video.hsus.org.

About Cockfighting

• Tens of thousands of people are involved in cockfighting nationwide.
  
  
• Common cockfighting practices include breeding birds for viciousness, drugging them to heighten aggression and fitting their legs with razor-sharp knives or gaffs, which resemble curved ice picks.
  
  
• Law enforcement raids across the country have revealed that cockfights, which are frequently attended by children, often involve gambling. As a result of the large amounts of cash present, firearms and other weapons are often also present.
  
  
• Law enforcement officials have documented a strong connection between cockfighting and the distribution of illegal drugs. 
  
  

Related Links

Cockfighting

Cockfighting Fact Sheet

Animals & Religion