64 fighting birds seized Hesperia, CA (US) Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 County: San Bernardino Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Case Images: 1 files available Alleged: » Jose Garibay » Carlos Garibay

Case ID: 2439 Classification: Fighting Animal: chicken View more cases in CA (US) Login to Watch this Case

Sheriff's deputies said they found 64 cockfighting roosters in the back yard of a Hesperia home.

Deputies said they cited the owners of the house at 8848 Fifth Ave., Jose Garibay, 65, and his son, Carlos. Jose Garibay was cited for suspicion of possessing birds used for fighting, a misdemeanor, and possessing paraphernalia consistent with cockfighting, plus animal cruelty, according to a sheriff's statement.

Hesperia Code Enforcement Officer Jerry Sanders said there is no evidence that there were fights held in the back yard, only training. He said the back yard once had more than 400 roosters for fighting.

Jose Garibay said the birds were for show.

Deputy John Solomon said deputies found small blades, which are commonly used in cockfighting, and which can be tied onto the spur on the back of roosters' legs, he said.

"Boxing gloves," which are put on the spurs for training, and 10 sets of "fighting tethers" were also found in the back yard, officials said. Solomon said the tethers help build up the roosters' aggression by facing one against another that is also tied to a tether, but keep the birds' far enough apart that they cannot hurt each other.

Sanders said another reason he believed the birds were used for fighting was that the crown of feathers on the top of their heads had been cut off, as well as the nail on the spurs.

Code Enforcement Supervisor Tony Genovesi said officers responded to the house after there was a noise complaint about roosters kept in a non-permitted building in the back yard. A makeshift shed was constructed from miscellaneous sheets of wood, old garage doors and chicken wire, he said.

Sanders said it had been some time since he found that many roosters. One rooster was injured so badly that it had to be taken to a veterinarian before getting held as evidence, he said.

Sanders said 10 rosters would be taken into evidence, while the others were euthanized. He said they had to be euthanized because once the roosters have been trained for fighting they can be dangerous to other animals.

Solomon said he also found hens, baby roosters and eggs inside some of the pens.

Ernesto Montes, from Hesperia's Department of Animal Control, was given the task of rounding up all of the roosters. He said it's usually his job because he grew up on a ranch.

"I've been around birds like these all my life," Montes said. "(Today's) just a normal day."

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