Cockfighting - approximately 40 birds
Antioch, TN (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Jan 13, 2008
County: Davidson

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Mauricio Mondragon

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

Metro Police and Animal Control officers are investigating after as many as 40 roosters were found on a half acre property on Old Hickory Boulevard in Antioch Sunday.

Some of the roosters were found still chained to their crates, others were injured and some were dead.

In addition, officers found cockfighting paraphernalia that included a large scale used to weigh the birds and extra knives with electrical tape to attach the knives onto the rooster's talons.

Police also found at least a few hundred dollars in cash.

Authorities said an anonymous tipster called police at about 3 p.m. Sunday saying dozens of cars were parked in the street and in the yard outside the home.

Police said once they arrived, the estimate around 50 to 60 people took off, literally leaving their cars with the doors wide open.

Most of the participants ran off into the woods.

At least two people are in police custody.

Police do not know who owns the property and said they do not believe it was a very organized operation.

Many times, they said, cockfights take place with less than a day's notice.

Still, Metro Animal Control said, that does not mean the problem isn't wide spread.

"It happens, it's all over, especially cockfighting, since they reduced it from a felony to a misdemeanor, but it's still a crime," said Metro Animal Control officer Billy Biggs.

For now, the birds will be held as state evidence until police find the ringleaders of the operation.

Then, the roosters will be put down.

A bill that would have increased the penalty for watching an animal fight failed to make it through the legislature in 2007.

The U.S. Humane Society has lobbied a number of state legislatures to increase penalties for cockfighting.

U.S. Humane Society representative John Goodwin said, "It is hard to believe that in 2007 there are people who enjoy watching animals tear each other to pieces. Cockfighting exists because of blood lust and gambling."

Some Tennesseans defend the practice.

One Coffee County farmer, who raises roosters for cockfights, said the sport is highly-regulated and held to standards above what the general public might think.

He said, "We as cockfighters are honest, hard working, tax paying Americans. We're not blood thirsty killers as they like to portray us and we're not animal abusers."

Case Updates

References

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