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Cockfighting in the United States is considered illegal in every state. Only animal fighting that affects interstate commerce is punishable by a fine and/or jail time as a federal felony charge under the Animal Welfare Act. Now each state can act upon the growing number of cockfighting rings and actually create stiffer penalties to ensure there is no cockfighting in their state. In the South (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama), there are laws against cockfighting but they need to be more aggressive.
Florida has made it not just a felony for cockfighting but also for possession of cocks for fighting, being a spectator at a cockfight and even possession of cockfighting implements. The rest of the South is not so fortunate to have such harsh laws against people who seem to love to fight these birds for a blood sport. Georgia states that cockfighting is a felony, but it is legal to own the birds, watch the sport and have implements of cockfighting. South Carolina states it is a misdemeanor for cockfighting or watching but it is ok to own the birds and have the implements. Alabama states it is only a misdemeanor for cockfighting but ok to own the birds, watch and have implements to cockfighting.
The Southern states are trying to create stiffer laws like Florida to help stop cockfighting. The Southern states below have the following Bills in the works with their legislature:
- Georgia is working on getting a bill approved called HB109. This bill started in 2009 but it is gaining ground again by going before the legislature Jan 2010. It states that cockfighting, owning a cock for fighting, training a cock for fighting or allowing a cockfight on your property will be a felony punishable by one to five years in prison and a fine no less than $5,000. A second offense is one to ten years in prison and a fine of no less than $15,000. A spectator will be a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature and a fine between $1,000 to $10,000 or jail time of three months to twelve months. Some cases will get both.
- South Carolina is working on their bill called H. 3227. This bill started in 2009 and on Jan 13, 2010 there was another House member being added as a sponsor for the bill. It will make cockfighting, owning or possession of a cock for fighting and a spectator a felony punishable by jail and/or a fine. The first offense will be $500-$1000 or prison for six months to five years. The second offense will be $1000-$3000 fine or prison one year to five years. All parties involved in the conviction lose their money involved in the act, instruments, securities gained or used in cockfighting.
- Alabama was working on making it a felony across the board as other Southern states are trying to do. There was not enough committee members that attended the meeting and the bill never made it out. The bill will now go before the Senate for a vote. The bill will make organizing, attending or betting on cockfighting punishable by a year in jail and a fine. Second offensives could make it up to ten years in prison. Right now being only a misdemeanor, they pay a fine of only $50. This is not incentive to make the cockfighters stop.
Get with your State Representative on your views of cockfighting. If your state has a bill for cockfighting, ask your Representative to support the bill. Let them know how you feel about it but do not express anger towards the Representative. They are more likely to read a letter or email from a local person from their state and from someone who is genuinely concerned for the safety of the roosters.
For more information on finding your local Representative. Just select your state and provide your zip code.
For more information on Cockfighting by State. Just scroll to your state.
More cockfighting articles of interest like these:
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Comments
The lawmakers are idiots and the ppl wanting to make cocking a felony are nothing but liberal idiots,by the way the picture you have up thats not a damn gamecock its a domestic big stalk chicken. Have enough damn sense to post a picture of a gamecock not a damn domestic rooster
Thanks for the lesson Southern Heritage - but it does not matter what the rooster looks like for the picture. Yes I have fighting pictures but I did not feel the need to display it here. I just showed a rooster. People that fight them fight whatever roosters or gamecocks they have. Yes I do personally know someone that does this and I feel outraged that they would pay the money they do for one of these birds and let them kill each other they way they do. I think what they are doing is wrong and should not be allowed. That's why I'm the Pet Advocacy Examiner. I write about the things these animals cannot speak for for themselves.
Thank goodness that someone is looking out for the well being of these animals. I see it a lot, the selling of these birds as they have already been documented to be fighting cocks but the law enforcement can't do anything about it cause it is still legal to own them. I think that the Lawmakers are doing a just by adding other animals into this animal cruelty law. We as humans don't say abuse isn't abuse because of age or gender so in making a bill.....we should include all the animals that are used for fighting purposes. I so hoped this HB109 would have passed in 2009 and then was excited to hear that it went into 2010. I now just hope it passes!
Thank goodness that someone is looking out for the well being of these animals. I see it a lot, the selling of these birds as they have already been documented to be fighting cocks but the law enforcement can't do anything about it cause it is still legal to own them. I think that the Lawmakers are doing a just by adding other animals into this animal cruelty law. We as humans don't say abuse isn't abuse because of age or gender so in making a bill.....we should include all the animals that are used for fighting purposes. I so hoped this HB109 would have passed in 2009 and then was excited to hear that it went into 2010. I now just hope it passes!
Thank you "fingers crossed". I appreciate your comment and hopefully it will be passed. I also hope this carries to other states that have not done so as well. It really is a crime to abuse any animal, including birds of any kind.
Today I contacted House Speaker Rep. Ralston to ask that he support the 2 bills in The GA Assembly Legislation, HB109 and HB987. I have been watching these bills and sent emails to all parties involved in the house of representative. I am for these bills an watching anxiously for 1 of the 2 of them to pass.
Thank you "fingerscrossed" for showing your support for the bills.
I am not agreeing 100% with southern heritage because I know you knew what kind of picture you were posting but, if yall would just do a little more studing about Gamecocks yall would understand. Try this: raise a gamecock in your house and pet him and love on him as you would your dog. Then drop him in your yard with another rooster of any breed and see what happens. Cockfighters do not make gamecocks mean. Cockfighters just enjoy watching this beautiful animals do what they do best. I agree cockfighting is not for everyone but, just because you do not care for it does not mean everyone else hates it. And one other thing if you make it illegal to own gamecocks, then what will happen to this amazing creatures. You would have to go to a damn zoo to see one and that sounds like a wonderful life for any animal. Locked up in a cage, FOREVER.
SC-Boy Look the law wouold be stated that someone could not own one for fighting. If you own one, and have no razors or any fighting pits or equipment then it would be perfectly legal to own a gamecock. The law states in certain states that if you have in your possession a gamecock with fighting identifiers, pits or fighting items then that is illegal. I do not think it is a bad thing to own one of these birds, they are actually very handsome. I have see a fighting gamecock.
I just do not agree with taking them and putting them intentionally together to bet on the outcome of a fight between the two. That is pretty much the census of the animal activists that are out there lobbying for this law to pass in every state.
I just hope people can come to a happy medium but I fell that will not happen.
SC-boy, it is safe to say that no one has a rooster in their house. If a rooster is for the purpose of fighting then the crown an spurs are removed. It is obvious what they are. Normal roosters are with others an they do not kill, if they are for the soul purpose of fighting then you have to teether them to keep them from killing each other. So that was a bad analogy, cause no one has a rooster in their house.
Pet advocacy- Thank you for continuing the efforts of trying to pass this bill. We as humans have cats an dogs in our houses not roosters. It is very disturbing to read up on committee meetings to have cockfighters state that these birds are raised as show birds to take to schools an such. Knowing that they are aggressive, this is just an excuse. If they are teethered, crowns an spurs removed they are for the soul purpose of fighting. I think the lawmakers are doing a great job and the bills cannot come soon enough. Cockfighting is connected with other crimes an needs attention
Fingers Crossed- You are just the type of person who knows nothing about gamecocks. Do you own roosters? Number 1: I was using the "rooster in the house" as a example that you do not have to train gamecocks to fight; it is natural for them. Number 2: you trim there spurs not for fighting but, also to prevent them from hurting theirselves, being that spurs can grow up to four inches, and to keep the rooster from hurting the hen during breeding. Number 3: you tie gamecocks and other roosters to tie cords to allow them to breed hens on the yard without worrying about the roosters killing on another and to give them the freedom of not being in a cage. I am not trying to argue with you nor call you uneducated. I just get fustrated when people pick sides in a agruement because of what they hear on the news.
The truth be told - It is going to be a long road for this law to be passed in most of the southern states. There are too many political people that still believe in cockfighting. I am hopeful that it will come to pass in the long run, until then people just need to be educated in cockfighting and roosters.
Thank you Fingerscrossed for your comments and I understand about this law needing to get passed. Everyone, including SC Boy are entitled to their opinions. I'm not here to run a debate on cockfighting but rather make it known to people that we need stiffer laws passed to not encourage more people to put these birds together for the soul purpose of fighting.
Wow the folks that do this type talking should really to some research on what there talking about. Seems SC boy is the one here who knows anything about the birds at all. Cutting the spurs is for fighting purposes? lol Keeping them on cord runs is a sure sign there for fighting? lmao. Folks should really educate themselves about gamefowl. Not everyone who raises them fights them..they have to be raised, trimmed and kept in the same manner if they are fought or not. Also its disturbing is to see organizations destroying all these birds at raids. Del Rio was a prime example...gassed every bird there? What did the poor birds do besides being gamefowl? They are a very pretty and rare breed of animal with distinct traits...and some so called animal right groups kill them by the hundreds? Everytime seems it happens at these raids. Like its the birds fault? Sad that happens. Fighting birds is nothing I personally would enjoy watching or consider entertainment...but killing off these birds because they require special care? Unbelievable people would support such organizations and get suckered into believing in the non sense some groups push through the media under a sheild name like humane society. Guess if it where the bald eagle that naturally fought to the dealth...the hsus would want all them destroyed and made illegal to raise period as well? Sad.....
James, I do agree with what you are saying. There is a lot of false pretense with the "Humane Society" and what they portray themselves to do and what they actually do. Now with the birds and fighting, I am totally against it, but destroying the birds because of what they are or are not is horrible. I do not know what they could even do with them, since they are so mean to each other at that point. Upon some raids they get hundreds of birds. In reality, what are they suppose to do with them? No one has been able to come up with a good example of what to do with them and at least one that does not require a lot of money in the process. Pinning them up individually, feeding them and caring for them is just not in anyone's budget. So what is worse, getting them in a raid, deeming them dangerous to each other and killing them or trying to find homes for each one of them and them eventually killing each other or starving to death because in this economy the caretakers cannot take care of them any longer. Either way it is the sad truth of the matter. This is no different that dog fighting. There is just no enough good homes for them, and until there is they will be killed. Sad truth and horrible but reality.
aaaah gamefowl breedrs pen their cocks up individually and feed ,and change their water every day because its necessary for their good health if they dont penn or tie out they will nauraly kill each other till only one remains its in their blood most dog owners dont care for their dogs this much....we should focus more on abused children crulty to them is more previlent in this country and they are our future ...focus on something you know about visit a gamefowl farm you will see the real truth....
As a free citizen of the United States and a lover of Gamefowl I find it heart-breaking that my rights to use my animals, (in a manner that does not infringe upon anyone elses rights), is taken away because some people do not agree with the way I use my animals. What gives others the right to infringe upon my rights to do what I love. The whole notion of making criminals out of good, God-fearing, people is the next step towards a society that is governed by Big Brother. What's next, children rat-out your parents when they disagree with government.
Its is not the point that they are trying to take away rights but more so give them to an animal that bleeds. That animal feels pain just as you, you would not want someone possessing you and making you fight until your death, would you?
Animals are bred for food or companionship, not for sport. The only sport animals should be bred for is bull riding, calf roping and any other rodeo style fun. They take great lengths to make sure those animals are not hurt during the process.
Are you telling me that you consider an animal and a human being to be equal? Read your Bible, we, (humans), are to reign over the animals of the earth, they are not our equal. Your example of someone possessing me and making me fight is ridiculous. Humans have fought one another for thousands of years in wars, the lowly soldier in ancient Mesopotamia as well as the conscripts in medievel Europe were forced to fight for their lords and kings. Even today we celebrate professional boxers and ultimate fighters whose sole purpose is to destroy their competition, all in the name of entertainment. You have no clue about gamefowl, they are NOT pets!! They are livestock, and as such should be used in the manner of their nature, just like cattle, hogs, and meat consumption chicken are bred, raised, sold, bought and consumed, a gamecock is bred, raised, sold, bought and fought. And YES you and your kind with your false sense of what YOU think is right IS infringing on my rights as a free American to use my animals that I breed, raise, and care for. YOUR opinion should not interfer with MY freedom and MY animals. What's next, are you going to tell me I can't sit in my new recliner I just bought because YOU believe I should sit on couches? What a hypocrite!!
NO you are taking it all out of context. I believe animals should not be fought. Period! Yes they can be bred, cared for, bred for livestock, bred to eat as long as they are killed humanely. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to live, just we need to abide by the laws that MANY OTHERS that have the same thoughts have created. People have created these laws, not me. Bark up to another tree, I did not create the law although I do appreciate them.
I wonder Ms. Stapleton do you feel the same about deer hunting, which is a sport, how about tournament sport fishing? How is it you can be against some so called "animal cruelty" but be for other forms of it? Have you ever been in a commercial broiler poultry house? You want to talk about "cruelty", that is the epitome of inhumane conditions, but why aren't there any laws against placing 30,000 to 60,000 birds inside a cramped broiler house? Why aren't you and your animal rights acitivist friends rallying against those "cruel", scenario's instead of focusing on cockfighting? Could it be you like to eat chicken, or steak, or pork chops? In other words if you are really against "cruelty" to animals then any form of it should be an afront to you instead of a certain aspect of the livestock buisness. That makes you a hypocrite!!
Call me as you wish Chanticleer. I believe that animals should not have to fight until their death. As for poultry for eating, pigs or cows, yes I eat meat. Yes I fish as well. Not sport fishing and everything we keep we eat. As for hunting, yes we hunt but we do not shoot anything we will not eat. Nothing!
I'm not a hypocrite as making an animal fight or "do what comes naturally" as you say is just wrong. Don't put the animals together, don't profit from it. The majority or cockfighting arrests that have been made have also included drug and weapons charges. This is also a big factor to ILLEGAL cockfighting. Stopping the cockfighting will help with the drugs and weapons because the people that posses them are off the street and in jail.
It is not that I pick and choose what I fight for and what I just let go. I do not believe in animal cruelty at all. Yes it is inhumane what some of these chicken farms do to their chickens. But it is also these bad farms that undergo fines and what not from the USDA when they find out about them. They are being dealt with. Everything happens in good time.
Mrs. Stapleton you said you did not pass the laws that made cockfighting illegal, that many people created the cockfighting laws and that I should "bark up another tree". But, Mrs. Stapleton are you not on-line rallying people to call their representative to pass legislation for stronger penalties against cockfighting, thus imposing your opinion on others who think differently than you. Are you not trying to get laws passed on issues that MANY people, including yourself, do not really know anything about. Making good law-abiding citizens criminals for something that does not hurt other human beings and is part of their heritage.
You also posted that "The majority or cockfighting arrests that have been made have also included drug and weapons charges. This is also a big factor to ILLEGAL cockfighting. Stopping the cockfighting will help with the drugs and weapons because the people that posses them are off the street and in jail." Using your line of logic any venue that has drugs sold and used should be made illegal, so we better get busy making any highschool ball game, music concert, sports arena, any city street corner in the U.S., and oh yes nearly all schools both public and private illegal to exist. As far as weapons, don't we have a thing call the 2nd amendment that gives us the right to own weapons, or do yall want to make that illegal as well?
The fact is Mrs. Stapleton you and many other people who think like you are imposing your opinion on others because you don't agree with their ways. I get it, you think cockfighting is cruel, I don't, but I am made a criminal for something you don't agree with which is wrong. Hopefully one day we can overturn these ridiculous laws and allow people to use their animals for which they were bred for.
Mrs. Stapleton, why don't you place your energies on issues that are important, like over-turning Roe vs. Wade. That is certainly cruel and inhuman murder of innocent humans, or do you support that practice?
As for all these comments about weapons, look I own two guns and possibly getting two more. Owning a weapon is not illegal but in the cases where the arrests have been made these people that are carrying the weapons do not have the proper permits. THey are doing it illegal. Yes I believe in the right to bear arms as long as it is done LEGALLY. They are not. As for concerts, high school ball games or where evenr else you mentioned - If they are caught they will go to jail and why????? Because it is ILLEGAL!!!!! Hello are you even listening to yourself. Look we have beat this to a pulp and I'm not going to fight anymore about it. You have your opinion about the cock fighting and the law is the law. It is illegal no matter what you want or what you don't. Sorry for you not being able to legally fight a game cock to its bloody death and win money or bragging rights due to it. I am done with this chat and this will be the last comment I do on this thread about it.
Sometimes enough is just enough. Have a good day and so sorry if my article has you in such an uproar for your opinion. But yes you are entitled to it. As so am I.
Apology not excepted!!!! I am entitiled to my opinion as you say and you are entitiled to your opinion this is true. The only difference is your opinion makes good people criminals. Why can't people like you leave everybody else alone.
You are done with this chat because you have realized you're reasoning is flawed, and you have no sound logical premises. You can go and put your head in the sand, but the simple fact is the laws that have passed to oulaw a cultural heritage that you don't agree with have taken away my rights as an American. Good Job, let me know if your NAZI rally gets rid all non-whites because yall deemed those people as 'unintelligent".
Racial wording has no bearing in this conversation. I have said nothing of the sort and I do not believe in racial slurring of anyone. Yes there are "unintelligent" people in this world but their color does not determine that. The way people are raised and their learning capability is what makes them "unintelligent"
Have a good day!
So I supposed you would consider me "unintelligent" because I was raised up in the gamefowl buisness and fought gamecocks while it was legal, something you would probably disapprove and look down on. Just admit this, you believe in your mind that cockfighting is wrong and that it should be made not only illegal but have stronger penalties for those caught doing it. If you said yes, then YOUR OPINION has taken away MY freedom, just like the NAZI party gradually took the rights away from Jews in the 1930's and 40's, you may not want to be called a NAZI or be associated with that type of group, but you are very much acting like a member of that group.
Leave people along, cockfighters are not evil, cruel, people; they are not hurting you or anyone else, mind your own buisness.
Hope this all makes you feel better. Have a great day. Life is too short to get so upset over things.
What will make me feel better is to have my right to use my gamefowl for what they are bred for and not be made out to be a blood-thirsty, drug using criminal.
Have a Good day!
i hope they catch all of them
Can someone tell me the number i can call to report a derby?
1-800-IamaRAT
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