Governor Frank Keating, Animal Wellness Action-Oklahoma Endorse Sheriff Chris Bryant for Re-election in Carter County, Oklahoma

Tulsa, OK — Former two-term Republican Governor Frank Keating and Animal Wellness Action Oklahoma announced their official endorsements of Carter County Sheriff Chris Bryant for re-election in the June 18 Republican primary. Animal Wellness Action, which has worked to stop an effort by cockfighters to decriminalize this form of malicious animal cruelty, posted an announcement of its endorsement on its website today.

The non-profit organization applauded Sheriff Bryant for enforcing the laws of Oklahoma without fear or favor, notably the state’s anti-cruelty laws. Sheriff Bryant and his deputies have busted three cockfighting operations in the country, most recently bringing charges against seven individuals just days ago for being spectators at an illegal cockfighting operation.

“From my time in law enforcement, I saw how intertwined animal cruelty, like cockfighting, is to other illegal activity like human trafficking and illicit drugs,” said Frank Keating, former U.S. Attorney and Governor of Oklahoma (1995-2003). “It is vital that we have men of integrity like Chris Bryant willing to enforce these laws and keep our communities safe.”

“The rule of law matters, and Sheriff Bryant enforces the laws of Oklahoma without fear or favor,” said Kevin Chambers, Oklahoma state director of Animal Wellness Action.

This week, Bryant and District Attorney Melissa Handke filed charges against seven individuals for being spectators at a cockfight busted in April. That builds on prior arrests of Catlin Gavitt and Darline Gavitt, who were charged with two felonies for operating a cockfighting facility and for owning and possessing birds for fighting. Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) and Animal Wellness Action had received a tip about the cockfight on April 20 in Wilson and shared that information with Carter County authorities, who acted on the information of the illegal fight.

Last year, Sheriff Bryant and D.A. Henke worked to bring felony charges against seven men, including a leader of the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, for offenses related to illegal cockfighting. Those stemmed from a bust of a cockfighting pit near Midway and Roundup Road. Four others faced misdemeanor charges for an event dubbed as the “Asian Gaff Championship.” According to The Ardmoreite, “deputies broke up the illegal cockfighting event” in June, “confiscating [about 60] fighting roosters and equipment while impounding 20 vehicles and trailers.” There were 170 to 180 people present for the cockfight, which occurred in the Fox/Graham area. Among those charged with a felony offense was Chance Campo, a district leader with the so-called Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission.

In 2017, acting on a search warrant to recover stolen property, the Sheriff’s Office discovered a cockfighting pit and equipment near Ratliff City and charged Cliff Morris with operating a cockfighting pit and being in possession of stolen property.

It was the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, a cockfighting group hiding behind an official-sounding name, which recently made a series of videos in front of the Carter County Courthouse attacking the Sheriff and his deputies for enforcing the law in Carter County.

“Cockfighting is often bound up with illegal gambling, narcotics trafficking, and other crimes,” added Chambers, Oklahoma state director of Animal Wellness Action. “When Sheriff Bryant and his deputies bust cockfighting operations, they are taking action against people breaking multiple laws and undermining the safety and quality of life of Carter County. These people keep pretending they are ‘gamefowl enthusiasts’ and in truth, they are involved in a wide-ranging network centered on animal cruelty but touching a wide range of other criminal conduct.”

“As an Oklahoma rancher, hunter, and a veterinarian, I am sickened by staged animal fights,” said retired Army Colonel Thomas Pool, D.V.M., senior veterinarian of Animal Wellness Action and a native of Comanche County. “Cockfighting is barbaric, and I commend Sheriff Bryant for doing his duty to enforce our anti-cruelty laws.” Dr. Pool is former chief of the U.S. Army Veterinary Command, a tri-service U.S. military command.