SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. — Animal Wellness Action, along with the Center for a Humane Economy, today applauds the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office and its partners for successfully dismantling a criminal cockfighting operation in Piñon Hills, seizing dozens of birds, weapons, and other evidence of illegal activity. This enforcement action underscores the continuing commitment of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office to root out cockfighting and other criminal behavior intertwined with it.
According to law enforcement reports, deputies executing a search warrant at a property in Piñon Hills uncovered a stash of fighting birds, blades and spurs, improvised cockfighting gear, three assault rifles and evidence of gambling and wagering associated with staged bouts. Several individuals were taken into custody. Investigators believe the operation was part of a broader network that has trafficked birds and engaged in illicit gambling. Authorities are pursuing state and federal charges.
This bust comes on the heels of a six-week enforcement campaign across San Bernardino County that ended in August 2025 and resulted in 56 arrests, the seizure of 3,500 birds and the confiscation of cash, narcotics, firearms, ghost guns and other contraband. Under that sweeping crackdown, deputies served 26 search warrants in rural areas throughout the county.
Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, said:
“We applaud the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office for continuing to drive enforcement against cockfighting, . illegal gambling, narcotics, weapons offenses, and money laundering. Every time law enforcement shuts down one of these operations, they strike a blow against a larger, noxious criminal ecosystem.”
Cockfighting is illegal under California law and prohibited by federal statutes that ban possession, transport, or staging of animal fights. Even the presence of a single fighting bird or a pair of spurs can trigger serious charges. In many jurisdictions, prosecutors treat each bird or weapon as a separate count. Animal Wellness Action urges district attorneys to pursue the maximum penalties allowed and to coordinate with federal partners as appropriate.
In support of enhanced enforcement, Animal Wellness Action continues to advocate for the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, H.R. 3946 / S. 1454, which would strengthen federal tools to crack down on animal fighting — including banning simulcast gambling on fights, outlawing shipment of mature roosters by mail, and enhancing forfeiture provisions. The measure has now earned endorsements from hundreds of law enforcement and animal protection organizations nationwide.
Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy stand ready to assist the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, State and U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and local prosecutors in developing and prosecuting cases arising from this bust. We further call on California’s legislature to bolster state anti–animal fighting laws, closing loopholes and increasing penalties to match the severity of the crime.