More than 230 birds were recently seized in northeast Ohio as part of a cockfighting operation.
On July 3, the Friendship Animal Protective League (FAPL) Human Investigations Department and the Lorain County Sheriff’s Department served two search warrants in Sheffield Township for cockfighting operations.
“Cockfighting is an illegal bloodsport in which roosters are confined to a fighting ring known as a pit, from which they cannot escape. The roosters’ legs are equipped with razor-sharp blades known as a ‘gaff.’ The roosters fight until one of them is unable to continue, usually due to a fatal wound. “One or both birds frequently die after a cockfight,” the FAPL stated in a press release.
Fighting pins and cockfighting paraphernalia were discovered during the search.
The FAPL also stated that the 239 birds being used were kept in unsanitary conditions, with insufficient food and water.
At one location, the cages housing birds had several inches of mud and waste caked on their feet, making it difficult for them to walk.
“Cockfighting is a brutal and inhumane act,” said Gregory Willey, Executive Director of the FAPL. “These birds are subjected to extreme suffering in the name of ‘entertainment’ and profit. We are committed to exposing these operations and holding those involved accountable.”
This was the fourth time this year that agents seized roosters related to cockfighting in Lorain County.
