Last week, Humane World for Animals assisted the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office in seizing more than 400 roosters and hens from an alleged cockfighting operation in Sumner County, Kansas. The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City also provided on-site assistance.
Law enforcement executed a search and seizure warrant at a residential property around 6 a.m. on February 11th. More than 400 roosters and hens were found living in small wire or wooden structures with little protection from the below-freezing temperatures, some without access to clean drinking water. Several birds showed signs of apparent respiratory illness, including eye and nasal discharge. Two roosters were found covered in dried blood, suffering from open wounds.
Responders with Humane World for Animals assisted with animal handling, scene documentation, and provided expertise in identifying paraphernalia. Animal fighting experts identified the birds as gamefowl, a term used to describe birds raised for fighting, which are selectively bred for aggression toward other birds. The paraphernalia found throughout the property was consistent with breeding and conditioning birds for fighting. Items commonly associated with such operations were also discovered, including transport boxes, electronic scales, and gaffs—sharp blades attached to roosters’ legs during fights to inflict severe injuries.
“I am so thankful to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case and for the organizations that came together to remove these animals from a terrible situation,” said Midge Grinstead, Kansas state director for Humane World for Animals. “No animal deserves the painful end that roosters are faced with when they are forced to fight each other to death in a cockfighting pit, and thanks to everyone involved in this seizure, these animals have been spared that fate.”
“We have been working on this case for about two years and have been working closely with Humane World for Animals,” said Detective Andrea Wagoner. “We had suspicions of the roosters on the property being used for cockfighting but were unaware of how to prove it until we took a training course provided by Humane World for Animals. Their expertise was vital to getting onto the property to remove the animals.”
Cockfighting is a criminal industry in the U.S. that profits from violent cruelty to animals. It involves forcing two birds to fight—often to the death—for profit, gambling, and so-called entertainment. Even birds that survive the fights suffer terribly, enduring injuries such as punctured lungs, broken bones, and pierced eyes, yet they are often forced to continue fighting.
Cockfighting also poses a significant risk for the spread of avian diseases, including highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. These illegal operations contribute to disease outbreaks because of gamefowl yards, where hundreds of birds are raised in close quarters without protection from wild birds. The birds are frequently exposed to blood during fights and are transported across the country without oversight.
Meanwhile, a pro-cockfighting group has launched a coordinated effort to reduce or eliminate penalties for cockfighting. The group hosts pro-cockfighting rallies, raises funds, and donates to legislators in an attempt to decriminalize the practice. These efforts gained traction in Oklahoma in recent years, culminating in a dangerous bill that would have reduced penalties for cockfighting and dogfighting to a misdemeanor. The bill passed the Oklahoma House before ultimately stalling.
Due to the high-risk of avian flu transmission to humans and commercial flocks—along with the lack of placement options for roosters—birds seized from these operations typically cannot be adopted. The birds found on this property were humanely euthanized by veterinarians on-site.
