Cockfighting - 18 birds seized
Philadelphia, PA (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Jun 21, 2008
County: Philadelphia

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Abuser names unreleased

18 roosters are rescued from what investigators say was a cockfighting ring in the basement of a Kensington home.

The raid took place just after 4p.m. Saturday in North Philadelphia.

Officials with the SPCA say the recovered birds have been used to fight. They say the basement was bloody and they found evidence of an organized ring.

Some birds might have to be euthanized because they are in such bad condition.

George Bengall, of the SPCA, says these kind of raids are becoming a regular occurrence in Philadelphia. "I've never seen so much animal fighting in Philadelphia than in this past year. I've been doing this 18 years. It's like it just exploded."

So far, investigators have only found the animals. They are still searching for the people involved. When they find them, they will likely face felony charges. Police identified three suspects, but they weren't immediately arrested.

References

• MyFox Philadelphia - June 21, 2008
• CBS 3 - June 21, 2008
• York Daily Record - June 21, 2008

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