Cockfighting - 27 birds seized Freedom, CA (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 31, 2005 County: Santa Cruz Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Abuser names unreleased

Case ID: 6925 Classification: Fighting Animal: chicken View more cases in CA (US) Login to Watch this Case

An alleged planned cock fight during the weekend turned into a legal battle to be heard in court next month, when a rooster owner plans to contest charges that he bred the birds for battle.

Breeding roosters for cock fights, where two birds equipped with spurs bite, peck and claw one another to the death, is illegal in many parts of the United States, including California. But authorities say many fights still happen, part of a well-recognized underground organization of deadly contests between birds.

"I�ve been dealing with those folks for a long time," Stousy said of a residence on Miller Avenue in Freedom, where 27 birds were seized over the weekend. "But I�ve never found any evidence. This time, the birds had just had their combs cut and there were steroids all over the place. They were getting ready for a big fight." Stousy said gathering evidence of cockfights and fighter bird breeding is difficult and the recent raids likely were the first successful cases in at least three years, even though, he said, cockfighting is "rampant in Watsonville."

The Miller Avenue rooster owner told officials he would fight the charges in court. His animals will be held at an undisclosed location until the case is settled. "Right now, we have enough evidence against him," he said of the owner, who is reported to have kissed each bird goodbye before officials loaded them into a vehicle.

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References

Register Pajaronian - January 15, 2006

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