SHARK and Animal Wellness Action Applaud Swift Law Enforcement Action in New Mexico and Michigan Cockfighting Busts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Showing that illegal animal fighting operations can be uncovered and dismantled anywhere in the United States, investigators with Animal Wellness Action and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) worked this weekend with law enforcement officials in Roosevelt County, N.M., and South Haven, Mich., to expose and shut down cockfighting operations in both jurisdictions. Formal law enforcement investigations are underway and other agencies are involved.

Animal Wellness Action and SHARK praised the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and the South Haven Police Department for their rapid response, professionalism, and commitment to enforcing state and federal animal cruelty laws.  This is the second recent investigation led by SHARK in Michigan, and it reveals that animal fighting operations are stubborn and not easily dismantled.

“These agencies acted quickly and decisively when presented with evidence of illegal cockfighting,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “Their actions sent a clear message: animal cruelty will not be tolerated, and law enforcement will act when crimes are brought to their attention.”

“Dogfighters and cockfighters who violate state and federal anti-cruelty laws should not feel safe anywhere in the United States,” said Steve Hindi, president of SHARK. “If you are staging or participating in animal fighting, there is a real risk that investigators are watching and that law enforcement will be knocking on your door. We will not tolerate any refuges for staged animal fighting in any part of the nation.”

Cockfighting is a felony under federal law and is illegal in all 50 states. In addition to extreme animal cruelty, cockfighting is closely linked to illegal gambling, drug trafficking, weapons offenses, and the spread of dangerous avian diseases.

“These successful interventions also demonstrate that Animal Wellness Action and SHARK investigators are active nationwide,”Pacelle added. “From the Southwest to the Midwest, our teams are documenting cruelty and working with tipsters and law enforcement to hold offenders accountable.”

The organizations emphasized that those engaged in cockfighting and dogfighting should not assume they are beyond the reach of the law.

SHARK and Animal Wellness Action will continue to work with local, state, and federal authorities across the country to expose animal fighting operations, protect animals from abuse, and ensure that perpetrators face justice. Both Animal Wellness Action and SHARK offer rewards for tips that lead to the prosecution and conviction of animal fighters. Tips can be sent anonymously to animalcrueltytips@animalwellnessaction.org.

A Call for Stronger Enforcement Tools

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 126 members of Congress and 11 U.S. senators from both sides of the aisle.