 Cockfighting - 150 birds seized
Oakley, CA (US)Incident Date: Friday, Mar 23, 2007
County: Contra Costa
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Charges: Misdemeanor
Alleged: Rudolfo Tejeda
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Contra Costa County Sheriff's deputies uncovered an apparent cockfighting operation in rural Oakley on March 23 morning, seizing steroids, syringes and dozens of caged roosters.
Deputies stumbled on more than 150 roosters and hens in a Honey Lane backyard during a routine drug arrest.
While executing a search warrant, narcotics and vice unit deputies found suspected methamphetamine and cocaine in sellable amounts in addition to a firearm, cash and the collection of birds. Rudolfo Tejeda, 22, was arrested at the residence for narcotics violations.
The county's Animal Services Department collected evidence and took a sample of roosters to further check for signs of cockfighting. Among the evidence documented were animal steroids, syringes and spray-on blood clotter.
"They found what appeared to be a cockfighting operation. It looks as though they were raising birds for the purpose of fighting," Oakley police Chief Chris Thorsen said.
Animal Services Sgt. Scott Carney said possession of roosters for fighting is a misdemeanor and punishable by fines and jail time. Cockfighting is illegal in the United States except in Louisiana, but legal in other countries such as Mexico and the Philippines.
John Goodwin of the Humane Society of the United States said the sport is often practiced by immigrants and continues to grow in popularity in rural areas of California.
Cockfighting is a felony in 33 states, including California, and there has been a decrease nationwide as a result, Goodwin said. The fights are usually held in barns, orchards and isolated or rural areas.
"The roosters have razor-sharp knives on their heels and they are pitted against each other in a fight to the death," Goodwin said. "These injuries are heinous."
In addition to the evidence collected in Oakley, animal services will examine the roosters for cut spurs on the birds' legs where the blades are attached. The blades allow the roosters to peck and maim each other during the fights.
"There are several that have those identifying traits but we must have other evidence," Carney said.
The backyard also contained visible signs of enclosed or confined spaces where the roosters are often left for a resting period before fights. The bins don't offer the roosters much light or contact with the other birds, Thorsen said.
Carney said the operations are found across the county and that the Oakley operation was a typical size compared with others.
Carney said breeders are typically allowed to own a number of roosters and hens if they can prove they are being used for food and eggs.
Another adult male on the property admitted that he was the owner of the birds and was cooperating with the authorities. Animal Services Deputy Director Dan Barrett said the remaining roosters were relinquished by the owner and will be humanely euthanized.
"There are other things associated with it (cockfighting) like drugs, gambling, child endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of minors," he said.
Located just off bustling Main Street, the loud sounds of the birds could be heard from the front of the modest residence where two homes stood on one large lot. The birds' crates and cages were located inside and outside a small barn. Most held two or three birds each.
Roosters are naturally aggressive and prone to fighting. The fights typically draw large crowds that bet on the birds. In January, California passed a law that makes cockfighting a felony on the second offense.
"Participation in a cockfight would be a felony, but it is also illegal to possess roosters with the intent to fight," Goodwin said. "You need to punish it as a felony because it can be largely profitable gambling." Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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