Seven Arrested; More Than 30 Live Birds Seized in Connecticut Illegal Animal-Fighting Bust
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wayne Pacelle, a native of New Haven and now president of Animal Wellness Action, today praised the West Haven Police Department for swiftly dismantling an illegal cockfighting operation over the weekend, calling the incident a stark reminder that animal-fighting trafficking networks remain active throughout the Northeast.
According to the West Haven Police Department, officers responded to a report of an illegal cockfighting event taking place inside a building in the 200 block of Front Avenue. When officers arrived, they discovered well over 100 people crowding around a makeshift wooden fighting pit where a cockfight was underway.
As police entered the building, many attendees attempted to flee. Officers pursued and ultimately arrested seven individuals connected to the event. Inside the pit area, investigators found feathers, blood spatter, fighting spurs, and other evidence of organized cockfighting. West Haven Animal Control officers seized more than 30 live roosters, along with several dead birds.
Those arrested include Jose Jiminez-Ortiz, 62, of New Britain; Samual Santiago, 49, of Hamden; Jesus Ventura-Reyes, 40, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Luciano Ramos, 60, of Newburgh, N.Y.; Kelvin Quituizaca-Martinez, 32, of Middletown, N.Y., and Andrade Catana, 52, of New Windsor, N.Y., all charged with cruelty to animals, illegal use of an animal for fighting, and interfering with an officer. Jose Gonzalez, 58, of West Haven, was charged with cruelty to animals and illegal use of an animal for fighting.
“I went to high school in West Haven, and the presence of a barbaric cockfighting operation is jarring and deeply disturbing,” said Pacelle. “The horrific practice of staging animal fights is more common than most people understand. And it’s important to remember that animal fighting is typically bound up with other crimes, including illegal gambling, illegal firearms, tax evasion, money laundering, and even human-on-human violence. We commend the West Haven Police Department for taking decisive action to stop this operation and protect the community from the array of illegal activities tied to animal fighting.”
Pacelle noted that cockfighting remains a persistent underground industry, even in states with strong anti-cruelty statutes like Connecticut. The groups continue to advocate for federal reforms to strengthen the national animal-fighting law.
The organization also calls on 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 108 members of Congress and 10 U.S. senators from both sides of the aisle. Unfortunately, not a single senator or member of Congress from Connecticut has yet to cosponsor this legislation.
“Every cockfighting venue is a crime scene, and law enforcement increasingly understands that busting up animal-fighting operations more broadly builds safety in our communities,” Pacelle added.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities have indicated that additional suspects or charges may follow.
A fact sheet on the FIGHT Act can be found here.