State lawmakers conclude their work for the year and anti-cockfighting laws remain fully intact as cockfighters pivot and target sheriffs who enforce anti-cruelty laws. Oklahoma City — The legislative attempt to unwind Oklahoma’s voter-approved anti-cockfighting law crashed and burned at the state capitol in 2024, with the 59th Legislative session officially ending last week. A pro-cockfighting bill, HB … Read more
Press Release Melissa Handke’s Office, Cooperating with Sheriff Chris Bryant, Doesn’t Bend to Appeals by Cockfighting Advocates to Ignore the Rule of Law Carter County, OK — Animal Wellness groups are applauding Carter County District Attorney Melissa Handke’s Office for charging two residents with felonies for being alleged facilitators of a large-scale cockfight weeks ago. … Read more
Press Release Melissa Handke’s Office bends as Oklahoma cockfighting leader makes defamatory statements about her and sheriff’s deputies in the county Carter County, OK — Animal Wellness groups are questioning Carter County District Attorney Melissa Handke’s Office for not seeking the arrests of two alleged facilitators of a large-scale cockfight weeks ago when the local sheriff’s … Read more
Animal fighting is barbaric and is commingled with other crimes in Lancaster County and elsewhere Lancaster County, PA — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy reacted to Lancaster County authorities charging a woman with animal cruelty and animal fighting charges after discovering dozens of roosters housed in wooden coops with their … Read more
The Nutmeg State not immune to dogfighting, cockfighting, as Congress considers the FIGHT Act Waterbury, CT — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy reacted to eight arrests following police officers busting an alleged cockfighting ring in a large garage in Waterbury, where officers witnessed the staged fights and the illegal gambling … Read more
Without a strong state anti-cockfighting law, or proper enforcement of the federal anti-fighting law, staged animal fights will continue in Hawaii and the cockfighters will continue to take their chances. Honolulu, HI — Leaders of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy reacted today to the latest cockfighting-related arrests in Hawaii — … Read more
More enforcement, more arrests for barbaric cockfighting activities signal the prevalence of this animal cruelty problem, bound up with other crimes Austin, TX — According to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, 200 roosters, along with drugs and guns, were seized during a cockfighting ring bust on Saturday that led to arrests and citations for 50 … Read more
PRESS Statement EXPERT INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE Acting on a tip from SHARK, KSP responded and made arrests, marking their latest action to enforce the state’s anti-cruelty law Louisville, KY — Animal Wellness Action and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) are applauding the work of Kentucky State Police for their fast action in charging 14 men … Read more
Her vote for animal fighting is one more past indicator of her contempt for animal welfare norms in our society. Washington, D.C. — Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, offered further reaction to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s recent revelation that two decades ago she shot and … Read more
More than 500 agencies and organizations endorse bill to eradicate animal fighting nationwide Washington D.C. — Animal Wellness Action is pleased to announce that the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association has joined more than 500 organizations and agencies calling on Congress — with a specific appeal to Minnesota’s U.S. Senators and Representatives — to pass the FIGHT Act to eradicate … Read more