Group uncovers ‘massive’ cockfighting pit

The Humane Society of the United States revealed the results of its undercover investigation of the “Sally Gap” cockfighting pit in Williamsburg, Tuesday, and says it documented a massive illegal operation.
This past weekend, more than 400 participants from several states, including Tennessee, Michigan, and South Carolina, came to fight birds and gamble on the cockfighting matches, according to a humane society report.
The humane society estimated there were more than 500 birds at the Saturday night derby and that hundreds of thousands of dollars were gambled and collected in entry fees. Young children were also at the event, some seen exchanging money.
“This pit was one of the largest I have ever seen, bringing in massive amounts of money and causing the horrible suffering of hundreds of birds,” said an undercover HSUS investigator who was on the scene.
“The roosters were forced to fight for up to a half-hour as they repeatedly stabbed each other until one of the competitors bled to death. It was mind-boggling to watch the audience, including children, cheer this barbaric contest on.”
According to the humane society, it is a misdemeanor violation of Kentucky law to participate in cockfighting or to be a spectator at a cockfight. It is a violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act to transport animals across state lines for the purpose of fighting.
The “Sally Gap” cockfighting pit came to the attention of the humane society when it was advertised for sale in The Gamecock, a nationally circulated cockfighting magazine, according to the humane society report.
The reported owner of “Sally Gap,” Johnny Baird, is shown in the ad waving from inside the pit. In a phone call with an HSUS investigator, Baird gave exact directions to the pit, and also assured the investigator that anyone who bought the pit would have nothing to worry about from the local sheriff.
Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge said that he has only gotten two or three calls in the four plus years he has been sheriff about cockfighting, and that he has referred all of the calls to the Kentucky State Police.
Hodge said his limited department simply doesn’t have the manpower to investigate the matter, while the state police employee over 1,000 people, and have units designed to do special investigations.
He added that cockfighters won a lawsuit a few years ago in Kentucky, and that he isn’t sure exactly what his department would be able to charge someone with in light of that, except for possibly gambling charges, which would be difficult to prove.
According to the humane society, some cockfighting has apparently filtered into Kentucky from Tennessee.
Baird also told humane society investigators that cockfighters who used to go to the Del Rio cockfighting pit in Cocke County, Tennessee, now come to his pit, according to the humane society report.
The Del Rio pit was raided by the FBI in June 2005 and is no longer active. Two former owners of the Del Rio pit recently pled guilty in federal court to a range of charges, according to the humane society.
“By all evidence this enormous, illegal cockfighting pit that drew in hundreds of people from several states operated without even the slightest fear of law enforcement,” said Ann Chynoweth, director of the animal cruelty and fighting campaign for the humane society. “Indeed the owner was brazen enough to advertise his operation in a nationally circulated cockfighting magazine. Our investigation of the ‘Sally Gap’ cockfighting pit documents not only the bloody cruelty of this barbaric activity, but also the clear need to strengthen both state and federal law to put an end to this cruel, criminal industry.”
Federal legislation is currently being considered by the U. S. Congress to make it a felony to transport any animal over state lines for an animal-fighting venture. H.R. 137, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, has 297 cosponsors in the House of Representatives. Its Senate companion, S. 261, has 21 cosponsors.
Wednesday, a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee will hear testimony from the humane society and from the United Gamefowl Breeders Association, a national cockfighting organization, regarding legislation to make a violation of the federal law a felony.
“It is time that Kentucky lawmakers stepped up to the plate to make this horrendous practice a felony,” said Pam Rogers, The Humane Society of the United State’s Kentucky coordinator. “Without a strong felony deterrent, this sordid activity will continue to bleed across our borders and flourish across our state.”