1. What is cockfighting?
Cockfighting is a centuries-old blood sport in which two or
more specially bred birds, known as gamecocks, are placed in an
enclosure to fight, for the primary purposes of gambling and
entertainment. A cockfight usually results in the death of one
of the birds; sometimes it ends in the death of both. A typical
cockfight can last anywhere from several minutes to more than
half an hour.
2. How does it cause animal
suffering?
The birds, even those who do not die, suffer in cockfights.
The birds cannot escape from the fight, regardless of how
exhausted or injured they become. Common injuries include
punctured lungs, broken bones, and pierced eyes. Such severe
injuries occur because the birds' legs are usually fitted with
razor-sharp steel blades or with gaffs, which resemble
three-inch-long, curved ice picks. These artificial spurs are
designed to puncture and mutilate.
3. Are there other concerns?
Yes. Law enforcement raids across the country have revealed
several disturbing facets of this so-called sport. Gambling is
the norm at cockfights. Thousands of dollars can exchange hands
as spectators and animal owners wager large sums on their
favorite birds. The owners of birds who win the most fights in
a derby (a series of cockfights) may win tens of thousands of
dollars of presumably unreported income. Firearms and other
weapons are common at cockfights, mainly because of the large
amounts of cash present. In addition, cockfighting has been
connected to other kinds of violence—even homicide, according
to newspaper reports.
Law enforcement officials have documented a strong
connection between cockfighting and the distribution of illegal
drugs. Drug enforcement agents often learn about animal
fighting operations as a result of narcotics
investigations.
The presence of young children at cockfights is an
especially disturbing element. Exposure to such brutality can
promote insensitivity toward animal suffering and enthusiasm
for violence.
4. Aren't these birds natural
fighters?
While it is true that birds will fight over food, territory,
or mates, such fights are generally only to establish dominance
within a group (the pecking order) and seldom result in serious
injury. This natural behavior is quite different from what
happens in staged cockfights, where pairs of birds, bred for
maximum aggressiveness (and sometimes given steroids or other
drugs to make them more successful fighters) are forced to
fight until a winner is declared.
5. Isn't cockfighting part of our
heritage?
While it is true that cockfighting has been practiced for
centuries in various countries, including the United States,
"old" does not necessarily mean right or even acceptable. At
one time the United States allowed slavery, lacked child abuse
laws, and refused women the vote.
6. Is there a trend toward
treating the crime of cockfighting more seriously?
Yes. It is illegal in almost every state, and most states
specifically prohibit anyone from being a spectator at a
cockfight. Recently many states have increased the seriousness
of a cockfighting charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. In
addition, the federal Animal Welfare Act prohibits the
interstate transport of birds for use in cockfights to states
with laws against cockfighting. We encourage prosecutors to
indict those involved in cockfighting not only on illegal
gaming charges but also for conspiracy to commit a crime and
illegal gambling.
7. What can I do to help stop
cockfighting?
If you live in one of the states or territories where
cockfighting is still legal, please write to your legislators
and urge them to ban it. If you live in one of the states where
it is still only a misdemeanor, please write to your state
legislators and urge them to make it a felony offense. To find
out how your state treats cockfighting, visit our page on State
Cockfighting Laws.
We encourage you also to write letters to the media to
increase public awareness of the dangers of cockfighting and to
law enforcement officials to urge them to take the issue
seriously. We have provided sample letters in this packet. You
may want to display our cockfighting poster in your community;
additional copies can be ordered from The HSUS.
If you suspect that cockfighting is going on in your own
neighborhood, alert your local law enforcement agency and urge
agency officials to contact The HSUS for practical tools,
advice, and assistance.
