Cockfighting - six birds dead
Clearlake, CA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Jul 10, 2008
County: Lake
Disposition: Not Charged
Abuser names unreleased
An illegal cockfighting operation was discovered in Clearlake Thursday, with Animal Care and Control officials investigating who was responsible.
Lake County Animal Care and Control dispatcher Katie Bennett said officers responded to a call Thursday morning which directed them to a location on 30th Avenue, within Clearlake's city limits.
There, they discovered six dead chickens and many more with fighting spurs – also called gaffs – still attached to their legs, said Bennett.
The animals also didn't have food or water, Bennett added.
Cockfighting is a blood sport pitting two roosters, or gamecocks, against each other in a fight that often results in the death of one or both of the birds.
The gamecocks' natural spurs are removed and replaced with 3-inch-long, razor-sharp gaffs, which are used to injure their opponents, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The fights draw gambling and also have been found to be connected to illegal drug activity.
Bennett said no individuals were caught in the act, and the investigation was still ongoing late Thursday afternoon. She said officers were loading up the animals to remove them from the scene.
If anyone is named a suspect, Bennett said they likely would face felony charges of intentional cruelty to animals for running the cockfighting operation.
Animal Care and Control receive reports of cockfighting "randomly," said Bennett, last responding to a call six months ago in Upper Lake that failed to turn up any illegal activity.
This is the first time in many years that actual cockfighting has been discovered locally, she said.
Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states, and a felony in 35 of them. In California, cockfighting, possession of birds for fighting, being a spectator at a cockfight and possession of implements all usually bring misdemeanor charges, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Last October, a multi-agency effort in San Diego busted one of the largest cockfighting operations in US history, with more than 2,500 birds confiscated. Then in March federal officials broke up cockfighting rings in Oregon and Washington. References« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
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