PRESS RELEASE

COCKFIGHTING BAN GOES INTO EFFECT AUGUST 15:
Louisiana SPCA Calls for Strong Enforcement to Impact the Legislation

NEW ORLEANS, LA (08/13/08) - Louisiana will finally join the rest of the country when a total ban against the practice of cockfighting goes into effect on August 15, and the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA) says the next step in effective legislation is strong enforcement of the ban.

Last year, Louisiana lawmakers enacted legislation to make it illegal to gamble at cockfighting events, but when the new law goes into effect this Friday, anyone found practicing the activity, whether or not gambling is involved, will be charged with animal cruelty. Once that ban goes into effect on Friday, LA/SPCA’s director Ana Zorrilla says that the next important hurdle is strong enforcement by law enforcement agencies across the state.

“We anticipate that cockfighting runs the risk of going underground, just as we see with dog fighting, so strong enforcement is crucial to seeing an end to animals suffering so senselessly in a brutal activity where they are forced to fight to their death.” said Zorrilla.

Zorrilla noted that, “While the legislation may not be as strong as we would like, it’s a step forward in eliminating an inhumane practice where intentional pain is inflicted upon another living creature for the sake of barbaric entertainment. Zorrilla said it’s also been a long time coming as Louisiana was the last holdout in the country, supporting an activity long viewed as inhumane across the U.S., as well as by a majority of Louisiana residents. “The LA/SPCA worked for many years advocating for a law that would ban this horrible activity.”

Despite the outcry from those who supported cockfighting on the grounds that it was a cultural tradition, Zorrilla points out that the violence and extreme cruelty inflicted on animals before, during, and after a fight are intentional acts of cruelty that are “inexcusable and senseless.” “It’s not natural to attach knives as long as 10 inches to their legs, or force them to fight for hours until one dies from their injuries or worse.” said Zorrilla. When used for cockfighting, animals are often pumped with vitamins and steroids, kept in tight spaces and tethered to encourage agitation and aggressiveness, fought anywhere from 10 minutes to two or more hours before ultimately dying a painful death.

When the total ban against cockfighting goes into effect August 15, 2008, what changes?

• Cockfighting will now fall under cruelty to animals laws. In previous state legislation, birds involved in cockfighting were not included in animal cruelty laws. Along with chickens and roosters, also included as protected under the law are ostriches, emus, kiwis, and cassowaries.

• A first offense is considered a misdemeanor and second and third offenses are considered a felony.

• The penalty for a first offense is a maximum fine of $1000 and up to 6 months in prison. The penalty for a second or third offense is up to 6 months in prison with hard labor and a maximum fine of $2000.

• To be charged with cockfighting, a person or persons must be caught in the act; or must be found to be organizing a cockfight with the intent to conduct a cockfight.

• It’s not against the law to be found with the paraphernalia typically associated with cockfighting; however there is a federal law in place that makes it illegal to transport live animals across state lines for the purposes of animal fighting, as well as to transport paraphernalia used for the purpose of animal fighting.

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