WASHINGTON – The HSUS called on Agriculture Secretary Ann
Veneman to crack down on the organized cockfighting industry,
which operates illegally throughout the United States and which
now appears responsible for bringing a highly infectious
poultry disease, known as Exotic Newcastle disease (END), to
California, Arizona, and Nevada and causing an outbreak that
has already cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
In a strongly worded letter sent today to Agriculture
Secretary Ann Veneman, The HSUS is urging the agency to take
several steps to combat illegal cockfighting in light of
indications that the movement of birds for this criminal
activity touched off the outbreak of END in southern
California.
Also today, The HSUS is testifying in favor of legislation
strengthening penalties against cockfighting in Oregon and
releasing a list of law enforcement agencies endorsing
legislation in West Virginia designed to strengthen that
state’s weak anti-cockfighting law. Anti-cockfighting
legislation is also pending in Maryland and in New Mexico,
which is one of only two states where cockfighting is legal.
The HSUS is fighting an effort in the Oklahoma Legislature to
repeal State Question 687, a ballot measure to outlaw
cockfighting approved by voters in November 2002. And
legislation to strengthen anti-animal fighting laws will soon
be introduced in Florida and Iowa.
“The transportation of live birds for fighting poses a major
risk of Exotic Newcastle disease transmission,” wrote Wayne
Pacelle, a senior vice president at The HSUS, in the letter to
Secretary Veneman. “In addition to the risks associated with
the point-to-point commercial movement of fighting birds, fight
venues are particularly dangerous hot spots for the
transmission of the disease. Cockfighters may assemble from a
dozen or more states to fight birds. One infected bird can
infect other birds, and gamecock owners may bring newly
infected birds that survive the fights back to their home
states.”
While 48 states ban cockfighting, illegal animal fighting
proliferates across the country. Cockfighters pump up specially
bred roosters with stimulants and drugs to increase aggression
and clot their blood, strap razor-sharp knives or ice-pick-like
gaffs to their legs, and place them in a pit to fight to injury
or death. During a bout, birds suffer punctured lungs, gouged
eyes, broken bones, and other grievous injuries. This is all
done for the amusement and illegal wagering of cockfighters and
spectators.
Any interstate movement, imports or exports of fighting
cocks will be illegal as of May 2003 when a provision of the
2002 Farm Bill takes effect. U.S. Senators John Ensign (R-NV),
Wayne Allard (R-CO), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and
Representatives Roscoe Barltett (R-MD) and Rob Andrews (D-NJ)
are soon to introduce bipartisan legislation to impose
felony-level penalties for violations of the federal law
against animal fighting. In its letter released today, The HSUS
called on Secretary Veneman to endorse this legislation. The
HSUS has been critical of USDA for not making more cases
against illegal animal fighting ventures under current law.
As federal and state expenditures on the Exotic Newcastle
disease outbreak increase every day, an estimated 2.1 million
birds have been destroyed according to press reports at a cost
in excess of $40 million. Cost estimates reaching as high as
$500 million before this outbreak of the disease is contained.
The last outbreak of this disease in the United States occurred
in 1971.
This outbreak is decimating southern California’s egg
industry and forcing bird owners to either hand over their
flocks to USDA or implement costly bio-security systems.
According to the USDA, Exotic Newcastle disease causes death in
almost 100 percent of unvaccinated flocks. The highly
contagious disease affects the respiratory, nervous and
digestive systems of birds and is considered to be one of the
most infectious poultry diseases.
The letter to Secretary Veneman also asks that USDA halt
payments reported to be $1,000 to $1,500 per infected bird paid
out to illegal cockfighters in the area quarantined because of
exotic Newcastle disease outbreaks.
“If the reports of compensation paid out to illegal
cockfighters are true, this is an outrageous waste of taxpayer
dollars,” said Pacelle. “While we recognize USDA’s interest in
containing the disease and providing fair compensation to bird
owners, there is no compelling rationale for compensating
cockfighters at levels that exceed the commercial prices on the
black market. More to the point, USDA should not be in the
business of compensating individuals for birds that cannot be
legally sold in the United States.”
