Although Illegal In The U.S. Cockfighting Export Found In Alabama

So, I thought illegal cockfighting and going to animal fights were a thing of the past.  But, apparently, I was wrong.  I guess those participating in illegal cockfighting in the United States forgot about U.S. code 2156, which is about “Animal fighting venture prohibition.”

How does Alabama tie into the world of cockfighting?  Well, according to WBMA, “the Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) today asked U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town to investigate allegations of ongoing cockfighting activity in Alabama, including trafficking of game birds to Guam, a U.S. Territory.”  Listen, this hits close to home because they have cited nine breeders in Alabama.  And “the investigation alleges that three breeders located in Walker County alone shipped 743 fighting birds to Guam between January of 2015 and November 2019.”

A little unknown fact about me is that I had a family member that was always in jail because he participated in cockfighting.  He even raised roosters, especially for those fights.  Also, while visiting family in Puerto Rico, I noticed billboards about cockfighting.  Back in December 2019, there was a bill proposed to keep cockfighting legal in Puerto Rico due to a federal ban.  According to the NY times, they noted that Gov. Wanda Vázquez of Puerto Rico said about families who rely on cockfighting to survive is “they don’t have work. They don’t have a livelihood. They can’t pay their bills or sustain their children.”

(Source) For more on U.S. code 2156, click here.  More from the NY Times story, click here.  For the full story from WBMA, click here.

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