WASHINGTON – As New Mexico pumps millions of tax dollars into economic development and workforce training in an effort to bolster the state's growing film industry, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is running advertisements appealing to independent film industry executives to consider staying out of New Mexico as long as cockfighting is legal.
New Mexico is one of only two states that permit organized cockfighting, which involves breeding birds for maximum aggressiveness, strapping knives or ice-pick-like gaffs to their legs, and placing them in a pit to fight to injury or death for purposes of illegal gambling and the amusement of spectators.
The HSUS ads appealing to filmmakers debut in the Sundance Film Festival Insider today with the message "In New Mexico, 'Entertainment' Includes Watching Animals Fight to the Death," and then appear several more times throughout the festival.
The film industry has brought over $162 million in economic impact to New Mexico over the last two years, according to the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
"Movie makers have numerous venues vying for their business," said Ann Chynoweth, director of The HSUS' animal cruelty and fighting campaign. "The Humane Society of the United States is asking the film industry to consider taking a pass on New Mexico as long as the barbaric and cruel practice of cockfighting remains legal there."
Animal protection advocates have made repeated attempts to enact legislation to ban cockfighting in New Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson has refused to state publicly that he would approve of legislation to outlaw cockfighting, even though a statewide poll showed that 81% of New Mexican voters support such a ban.
Investigators from The HSUS who work with law enforcement agencies to crack down on animal fighting find that cockfighting is frequently associated with criminal activity, including drug trafficking, illegal gambling and violence.
Forty-eight states ban cockfighting, and federal law prohibits transporting fighting birds across state lines.
Gov. Richardson announced in December that Warner Bros. plans to film a movie starring Charlize Theron, Sissy Spacek and Frances McDormand in New Mexico in March 2005. Three other films are planned for 2005.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than eight million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and fieldwork. On the web at www.hsus.org.
