Napa, Calif. — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy commended the Napa County Board of Supervisors for its unanimous passage of a new ordinance that will significantly tighten rooster ownership regulations across unincorporated areas of the county.
The ordinance is designed to curb public nuisances, deter illegal cockfighting activity, and protect community health and safety—including from the risk of avian influenza (H5N1), also known as bird flu.
Under the ordinance, residents on parcels smaller than half an acre will no longer be permitted to keep roosters; those on larger properties may keep limited numbers based on acreage.
“Animal cruelty in the form of cockfighting isn’t just a crime of animal suffering—it’s a threat to public health and to legitimate poultry operations,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the groups. “Napa County’s Board of Supervisors has shown leadership by enacting regulations that will help law enforcement and animal services prevent cruelty before it starts and protect the broader community from disease risks.”
This ordinance aligns with growing efforts across California to strengthen local tools to address illegal cockfighting and mitigate avian disease risks. In Fresno County, the Board of Supervisors has been considering policies to cap the number of roosters kept on residential properties, aiming to reduce nuisances and the potential for illegal activity.
Likewise, Sacramento County is actively developing updates to its zoning and animal regulations that would limit rooster ownership and clarify enforcement mechanisms, with the dual goals of safeguarding animal welfare and community health.
“Communities across the state are recognizing the links between excessive rooster breeding, illegal fighting rings, and disease transmission,” added Pacelle. “We applaud Napa County for taking decisive action and urge other local governments to follow suit. Strong local ordinances are essential to protect animals, public health, and rural and urban neighborhoods alike.”
Animal Wellness Action looks forward to continued collaboration with county leaders, public health officials, and animal welfare advocates to support sound policy solutions that prevent cruelty and disease at the local level.
Animal Wellness Action offers rewards for tips that lead to the prosecution and conviction of animal fighters. Tips can be sent anonymously to animalcrueltytips@animalwellnessaction.org.
The organizations also urge Congress to pass the bipartisan FIGHT Act (H.R. 3946/S. 1454) to bolster enforcement tools, including bans on shipping fighting birds through the mail, outlawing simulcast gambling on cockfights, and enhancing forfeiture provisions for property used in these criminal enterprises. More than 1,000 agencies and law enforcement organizations across the nation have endorsed the FIGHT Act, as have 113 members of Congress and 10 U.S. senators from both sides of the aisle. Napa County is the 22nd county in California to restrict owners of large numbers of roosters.