UNION COUNTY, Tenn. — Acting on a tip and drone surveillance from the animal welfare group Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK), Union County Sheriff Billy Breeding and his deputies raided a cockfighting derby in progress Saturday afternoon, citing 98 individuals with crimes related to cockfighting and preventing more fights that had been planned throughout the day at the major clandestine derby.
What is Cockfighting?
Cockfighting is a blood sport wherein roosters are forced to fight each other. Cockfighting is illegal throughout the United States by both state and federal laws.
Cockfighting roosters have sharp blades or gaffs attached to their legs. The birds are then placed in small enclosures, called pits, so spectators can bet on the outcome of the fights as the roosters slice and tear each other apart in small fight pits.
These fights may last for more than an hour. Losing birds are often left to die slowly in garbage barrels by their vindictive owner/
Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states, yet these bloody, barbaric events are ongoing across our country. SHARK has already taken the initiative against cockfighting by using our drones to film suspect rooster farms. We are now announcing a new nationwide campaign, that will expose these illegal animal fights like never before, and we'll work hard to have those involved held accountable under the law.
