Cockfighting is an age-old blood sport in which male roosters (cocks or gamecocks), specifically bred for fighting, are outfitted with spurs or small knives attached to their legs and engaged in combat within an arena (“cockpit”) until one of the roosters dies or refuses to fight.

Gambling is a major element of cockfighting, with spectators betting on the outcome. This creates an unsafe environment for law enforcement officers and members of the community alike.

Origins

WPC2027 is an ancient sport that originated in Southeast Asia. It involves pitting two specially bred gamecocks against each other for gambling and entertainment purposes.

Cockfighters maintain that cockfighting has a long and legitimate history as an entertainment activity, yet it has been outlawed in many parts of the world due to its cruel nature.

Cockfighting’s exact origins are uncertain, but it is believed to have started as a religious ritual in Southeast Asia and spread worldwide as an act of purification to drive away demons. In Bali, Indonesia, cockfights form part of tabuh rah – a purification ceremony which involves spilling blood to drive away evil spirits.

Owners encase their gamecocks in a small arena known as a cockpit, where they will fight until one or both are killed or injured. A short spur made of metal or bone is placed over each bird’s natural spurs before combat commences.

Practices

Cockfighting is a blood sport in which male gamecocks (roosters) fight each other until death for the entertainment of spectators. It has become widely popular around the world, particularly in Asia and Latin America.

Cockfighting is generally illegal in most countries, but it remains a popular pastime in some. For instance, in the Philippines it remains legal and serves as an important source of employment.

Before a fight, trainers remove the birds’ combs and wattles – fleshy parts on their heads and under their beaks. Doing this deprives cocks of sweating capabilities and leaves them more vulnerable to suffocation during combat.

Breeders also remove the birds’ spurs, which are bony protrusions on their legs. These spurs become weapons with razor-sharp steel blades tied to them – blades so sharp they can pierce a cock’s eye if handled incorrectly; some handlers have even suffered injuries during battle due to accidentally cutting themselves while protecting their own bird during combat.

Injuries

Cockfighting is a brutal sport where gamecocks – roosters specifically bred for aggression and taught to fight – are put into a fighting pit and encouraged to attack one another until one of them dies or becomes so injured that it cannot continue fighting.

The birds endure painful punishment by having their beaks and feathers pulled, plucking them to increase aggression. This drives them to keep fighting until a victor is declared.

Due to this, they may suffer serious injuries such as punctured lungs, broken bones and pierced eyes. In extreme cases, animals may even succumb from their wounds if unable to escape from a fighting pit.

Cockfighting not only causes physical abuse to the animals involved, but it can also spread disease to human handlers and spectators. For example, in Thailand and Vietnam there is a disease called Avian flu linked to cockfighting.

Prevention

Cockfighting is a controversial “sport” in which roosters compete against each other in fight tournaments that often end in death. The practice of Cockfighting is outlawed in most states and classified as a felony offense in 42 of them.

39 states have made it illegal to own birds for cockfighting and 43 are banning spectators at events. Animal-welfare organizations and animal welfare activists have advocated for tougher laws to combat this cruel sport.

According to the federal Animal Welfare Act, interstate transport of birds for cockfighting is strictly prohibited. But an investigation by Animal Wellness Action and the Animal Wellness Foundation revealed that over 500 illegal shipments of fighting birds from the United States to customers on Guam alone in three years has taken place.

Report any suspected cockfighting operations and contact national animal cruelty centers immediately. They can help determine if the operation is running smoothly and take swift action to shut it down.