R. Reese Fuller

Update: Cockfighting busts abound

by R. Reese Fuller

On Saturday afternoon, Louisiana State Police raided the Little Bayou Club in Sulphur and busted an illegal cockfighting ring. Louisiana was the last state to implement a ban on cockfighting, which took effect in August. It's the first bust in Louisiana since cockfighting's been outlawed. According to the Associated Press, state police issued 37 misdemeanor citations, seized almost $60,000, and confiscated 600 birds. Of the citations issued, only 12 of them were for cockfighting and two were for gambling; the other 23 were for contributing to juveniles' delinquency. (Read reports from KPLC-VTV here and here.)

But lest you think cockfighting is just a Louisiana issue, consider these recent cockfighting busts. On Feb. 21, seven people were arrested for running a cockfighting derby in Caldwell County, N.C., with 65 live roosters confiscated. On Feb 28. in East Oakland, Calif., police there raided a cockfight and arrested 69 suspects and seized over 100 birds. About a week later on March 6 in Santa Rosa, Calif., 52 men were arrested and more than 150 live roosters were confisctaed at a cockfight. On March 7, in Westmoreland, Tenn. a cockfight was busted with 48 people and 78 roosters - 75 of which were euthanized.

And in Waterbury, Conn. (yes, even Connecticut), about 30 miles outside of Hartford, police there raided a cockfight on Feb. 28., made 23 arrests, seized 51 roosters and $16,000 in cash. The Boston Globe reports that police there have seen an increase in cockfighting.