WASHINGTON, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action today applauded the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office and partnering law enforcement agencies for their rapid and decisive response in shutting down a large-scale illegal cockfighting operation that reportedly resulted in 59 arrests in Chickasaw County, Mississippi.
Authorities reportedly uncovered an organized cockfighting event involving dozens of participants and spectators. Cockfighting is illegal under both Mississippi and federal law and is commonly associated with illegal gambling, narcotics activity, weapons offenses, and extreme cruelty to animals.
“Cockfighting is barbaric animal cruelty masquerading as entertainment,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “We commend the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office for acting quickly and decisively to stop this criminal enterprise and protect animals from prolonged suffering and violent abuse.”
Pacelle said that cockfighting operations always involve the use of knives or gaffs attached to birds’ legs, leading to gruesome injuries and deaths. Birds who survive fights are frequently forced back into repeated combat until they are no longer profitable.
“Every successful raid sends a powerful message that organized animal fighting will not be tolerated,” Pacelle added. “The sheriff’s office demonstrated real leadership here, and we hope prosecutors pursue meaningful penalties against every organizer and participant involved.”
Animal Wellness Action also noted that cockfighting operations pose significant public health and community safety concerns. The trafficking and concentration of fighting birds can contribute to the spread of avian diseases, while the events themselves often attract illegal gambling and other criminal conduct.
Under current Mississippi state law, cockfighting itself is generally classified as a misdemeanor, not a felony. Mississippi’s cockfighting statute is one of the weakest in the nation. That makes Mississippi an outlier. Most states now treat cockfighting as a felony offense. The National Sheriffs’ Association notes that cockfighting is a felony in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Cockfighting is also a felony by federal law.
Animal Wellness Action is calling for continued aggressive enforcement and passage of federal legislation to dismantle cockfighting networks permanently. At the federal level, the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, H.R. 3946 and S. 1454, would strengthen penalties for animal fighting, enhance federal enforcement tools, and target the organized criminal enterprises behind these operations. The bill is supported by both the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas and the National Sheriffs’ Association, along with more than 450 other law enforcement agencies and a total of nearly 1,100 endorsing agencies and organizations.
Animal Wellness Action is urging state and federal prosecutors to pursue the strongest possible charges and is encouraging citizens to report suspected animal fighting activity to law enforcement.