Animal welfare leaders argue that the government of Guam should not act as a “pass-through enterprise” or a “go-between” for cockfighters breaking the law WASHINGTON, D.C. — Shipping records obtained from the territorial Department of Agriculture revealed that there were 137 individuals who imported nearly 9,000 fighting birds onto Guam over the last three years. It is … Read more
Animal Fighting is the Pits
In the wake of a major investigation that exposed hundreds of illegal cockfighting transports shipped from cockfighters in 15 states to Guam, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero of the Pacific Island territory announced that she’d confer with her legal advisors on the subject and decide whether to act on the request by Animal Wellness Action (AWA) … Read more
The non-profit organizations obtained live-animal shipping records showing more than 500 illegal shipments of fighting birds WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cockfighters from the U.S. mainland made more than 500 illegal transports of fighting birds to customers on Guam, according to an analysis by the Animal Wellness Foundation and Animal Wellness Action of 2500 pages of live-animal shipping records … Read more
California Leads the Way Among the States This holiday season, I am grateful for legislative actions crafted not only to end malicious cruelty to animals, but also a variety of forms of large-scale, institutionalized cruelty. A comprehensive national ban on animal fighting – after a decades-long campaign – went into effect on December 20th. It’s a … Read more
Governor and Commonwealth Legislature Passed Sham Cockfighting Bill on the Eve of the Effective Date of the Federal Law Outlawing This Form of Cruelty Washington, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) sent a letter today to Puerto Rico’s Governor Wanda Vázquez that denounces her recent signing of a bill … Read more
Penalties Are the Same for Dogfighting or Cockfighting Violations, Providing for Up to 5 Years in Prison for a Single Violation WASHINGTON, D.C. — The federal animal fighting law took effect first in Guam, given that the island territory is “where America’s day begins,” and the Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) and Animal Wellness Action (AWA) urge cockfighters … Read more
It’s been an extraordinarily eventful period in the national debate over animal fighting, with the federal law that Animal Wellness Action shepherded to passage taking effect everywhere in the United States today. Congress gave Guam, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories one year to wind down this practice, and that day has come. Under the … Read more
Groups Urge the United States to Shut Down the Fighting Pits, Including Ones Planning to Operate Tomorrow Night Washington, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) denounced the political posturing of Puerto Rico’s Governor Wanda Vázquez and state legislators in passing a bill to authorize cockfighting. The action happened on … Read more
Questions released on survey that reveals that 61 percent of Guamanians back the federal ban on cockfighting WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Animal Wellness Foundation and Animal Wellness Action released more detailed information about the comprehensive, statistically valid survey of Guam residents about animal cruelty and cockfighting, with the survey revealing deep and broad support for … Read more
Former attorneys general from Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma — the last states with legal cockfighting — said the “cockfighting as culture” claim has long been a misdirection Washington, D.C. — Former attorneys general from the last states to outlaw cockfighting — Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma — called on political leaders in the five … Read more
The people of Guam and Puerto Rico are increasingly speaking up against cockfighting in their territories, as the new federal law banning animal fighting everywhere in the U.S. takes effect on December 20th. In today’s episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove talks again with Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby about recent events, … Read more
90% of Guamanians want to see territorial anti-cruelty law passed, while 61 percent back the federal ban on cockfighting Washington, D.C. — Today, the Animal Wellness Foundation and Animal Wellness Action released topline polling data from a comprehensive, statistically valid survey of Guam residents about animal cruelty and cockfighting, with the survey revealing deep and … Read more
All Citizens in the U.S. Territories Must Comply With New Federal Law Forbidding Animal Fighting Washington, D.C. — The Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) and Animal Wellness Action (AWA) today announced a rewards program to run for an indefinite time that provides a $2,500 reward for any individual who provides critical information that results in a … Read more
It’s now a matter of enforcement. In issuing an order yesterday that rejected the claims of cockfighting clubs to invalidate a portion of our national anti-animal fighting law, U.S. District Court Judge Gustavo Gelpi settled two lingering questions: 1) does the federal law against animal fighting apply to the five U.S. territories, and 2) does the federal … Read more
Washington, D.C. — In an order issued this week, U.S. District Court Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi rejected claims by Club Gallistico and other cockfighters in Puerto Rico challenging an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act that seeks to apply our federal anti-animal fighting laws to all parts of the United States, including the Commonwealth of Puerto … Read more
U.S. Department of Justice Argues that Cockfighting is Unambiguously Outlawed in all Five U.S. Territories Washington, D.C. — Top officials at Animal Wellness Action and the Animal Wellness Foundation urged the governors and other top elected leaders of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands to signal to the community … Read more
Guam and other territories must decide if they’ll abide by the rule of law, with animal fighting ban set to take effect on December 12th Spectators stirred and hollered as I walked into the cockfighting arena this week. Not because of me, perhaps the only non-Pacific Islander in a crowd of 125 or so men. And … Read more
Washington D.C. — The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations has signaled it wants to see the Department of Justice (DOJ) step up its work to prosecute animal cruelty crimes, including animal fighting – a bloody and horrific practice that pits animals against each other in a fight to the death for gambling and entertainment. The Committee … Read more
It’s hard for any enthusiast of an immoral practice or hobby to cope with the idea that their favored activity is soon to be illegal. The enthusiast typically has a well-scripted rationale to justify the practice, often makes money on the activity, and considers it a way of life. A hobby or business that they’ve … Read more
Last week, Los Angeles County unanimously passed an ordinance to crack down on the barbaric practice of cockfighting. In a nation of 3100 counties you may regard a policy reform in a single county as progress, but of a humble type. But L.A. County is one of the nation’s biggest and most populous counties, and it’s … Read more