MAYO, Florida — After months of investigating, law enforcement says it was able to bust a cockfighting ring in rural north Florida.
Officers say they executed a search warrant for a property in Mayo, Florida. Once they were inside they found people gathered watching animals fight, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.
Officers say they started making arrests as soon as they saw what was going on.
Once the scene was secured, officers say they found 41 live birds and three that were dead. The birds had been brought there for the sole purpose of pitting them against each other in cruel fights to the death, according to investigators.
“Every day, our department’s law enforcement professionals are working hard to track down and crack down on criminal activity in our state,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Such abhorrent behavior will not be tolerated – be it illegal conduct hurting Floridians or cruelty against animals. Thanks to our law enforcement team and partners, this ring was broken up and the individuals involved are being brought to justice.”
Cockfighting isn't something new. In fact, the National Conference of State Legislatures says it's one of the world's oldest sports.
The Animal Welfare Act of 1996 was amended in 2002 to make it a misdemeanor to ship, exhibit or sponsor birds for fighting, according to NCSL. Then the 2002 amendments were changed in 2007 when President George W. Bush signed into law the Animal Fighting Prohibition Reinforcement Act which increased the penalty for animal fighting violations from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states.
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