More Than 400 Roosters & Hens Rescued From Illegal Cockfighting Operation In Iowa

Photos by: HSUS

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) assisted the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office in the seizure of more than 400 roosters and hens from an alleged cockfighting operation in Appanoose County, Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the United States Department of Agriculture were also on scene to provide assistance.

Law enforcement executed a search and seizure warrant at a residential property around 7 a.m. on September 4th. More than 400 roosters, hens, and chicks were found living outdoors or in multiple structures across the property, with some tethered to makeshift pens and enclosures, lacking apparent access to clean drinking water. Several roosters showed signs of wounds and missing feathers, and rescuers discovered multiple deceased animals on the property.

HSUS provided animal handling, scene documentation, and expertise in identifying paraphernalia. The birds were identified by animal fighting experts as gamefowl, a term used for birds raised for fighting, selectively bred to be aggressive toward other birds.

Paraphernalia commonly associated with cockfighting operations was found on the property, including makeshift shelters, transport boxes, incubators, antibiotics, dewormers, and electronic scales. There was no indication that cockfights had taken place on the property.

“These animals are born into a barren, bleak life. We can only imagine that once sold, they’d meet a painful end, forced to fight other roosters to the death. It is all the more disturbing that there are organized efforts to legalize this cruel practice,” said Preston Moore, Iowa state director for HSUS. “We are grateful to the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office for shutting down this operation. Thanks to the Iowa legislature’s action to make breeding and keeping animals for fighting illegal two decades ago, law enforcement can intervene in these situations.”

Sheriff Gary Anderson added, “On behalf of the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, I am very pleased to have partnered with the Humane Society of the United States. Their assistance and professionalism were invaluable. Without the Humane Society, this investigation would have been very costly and complicated for the Sheriff’s Office. These types of investigations must be taken seriously, as they are often linked to other crimes such as illegal narcotics, animal abuse, environmental concerns, agricultural livestock diseases, and financial crimes.”

Cockfighting is a criminal industry in the U.S. that profits from violent animal cruelty. It involves pitting two animals against each other—often to the death—for profit, gambling, and so-called entertainment. Even birds that survive the fights suffer severe injuries such as punctured lungs, broken bones, and pierced eyes. Animal fighting is also often linked to other crimes, including drug trafficking, gang activity, and illegal weapons sales.

A group of pro-cockfighting advocates known as the U.S. Gamefowl Commission has launched a coordinated effort to reduce or eliminate penalties for cockfighting. This group holds pro-cockfighting rallies, raises funds, and donates to legislators in attempts to decriminalize cockfighting. In recent years, these efforts gained traction in Oklahoma, where a bill to reduce cockfighting and dogfighting to a misdemeanor passed the Oklahoma House before stalling.

Due to the high-risk of spreading infectious diseases such as avian flu to humans and commercial flocks, and the lack of placement options for roosters, birds rescued from cockfighting operations are typically humanely euthanized.