VERMILION PARISH, La. — A routine traffic stop in Vermilion Parish has resulted in felony animal cruelty and drug charges, after authorities discovered dozens of gamefowl, cockfighting paraphernalia, and narcotics inside a vehicle and trailer operated by Dion David Romero, according to local news reports. The case again underscores the widespread and barely concealed underground cockfighting network that continues to operate in Louisiana.
The case comes as the senior U.S. Senator from Louisiana, Republican John Kennedy, advances his FIGHT Act legislation at the national level. His bill is S. 1454, and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., is an original cosponsor of the companion bill, H.R. 3946.
The Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies found 33 roosters, 3 hens, and multiple cockfighting implements, including gaffs (knife-like weapons), moleskin wraps, and vitamins often used to dope birds before fights. Narcotics were also recovered from the vehicle.
Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, commended the sheriff’s office and is calling for aggressive prosecution under Louisiana’s anti-cockfighting law, which makes both possession of fighting birds and paraphernalia a felony.
“This traffic stop didn’t just intercept illegal drugs — it exposed yet another criminal cockfighting operation moving birds and weapons across Louisiana,” said Pacelle. “We know these fights are often accompanied by gambling, drugs, and organized networks that span multiple states..”
The discovery is part of a pattern of illegal cockfighting activity in Louisiana and across the Southeast, where Animal Wellness Action has documented dozens of active fighting pits and large-scale trafficking operations involving hundreds of birds.
Cockfighting is a felony under Louisiana law, as well as under the federal Animal Welfare Act, which prohibits fighting animals from being sold, transported, or used in interstate commerce. Possession of gaffs and other implements is also prohibited.
“This isn’t a minor infraction — it’s organized animal cruelty rooted in criminal enterprise,” added Pacelle. “We urge prosecutors to bring the full force of the law and to investigate whether this arrest is part of a broader network operating in the region.”
The federal FIGHT Act has been endorsed by 800+ agencies and organizations, including the National Sheriffs Association and the Louisiana District Attorneys Association. A fact sheet on the FIGHT Act is available here.