Animal rights groups push for enforcement, call Oklahoma the ‘cockfighting capital of the U.S.’

TULSA, Okla. — A number of teams and former Oklahoma Legal professional Basic Drew Edmondson are pointing the finger at legislation enforcement for not doing sufficient about what they name a large downside with unlawful cockfighting in Oklahoma.

Cockfighting has been banned in Oklahoma since 2002 and has since turn into a federal felony as properly. The animal rights group Animal Wellness Motion launched an 87-page report into what they name dozens of identified cockfighting operations in Oklahoma.

2 Information Oklahoma will not be itemizing the names as nobody has been charged with against the law.

“We’re deeply disturbed by the shortage of enforcement that’s taking place on the state degree and the federal degree,” mentioned Wayne Pacelle with Animal Wellness Motion.

This week, the group referred to as SHARK (Displaying Animals Respect and Kindness) captured drone video of farms in Coal, Carter and Atoka counties. In it, there are rows and rows of what they are saying are roosters tethered close to barrels.

“No reliable farm wants or needs numerous roosters,” mentioned Steve Hindi, founding father of SHARK. “A sizeable farm wants 4, 5, six roosters, that’s about it.”

We’re informed some house owners could declare to boost roosters in an effort to present them. Edmonson says that’s a ruse.

“We must be ashamed and take motion,” Edmonson mentioned. “You need to bodily shut your eyes to not know this is happening. In case you are concerned in the neighborhood in any respect, you realize it’s occurring.”

Backing the teams’ claims, the report consists of movies and social media posts of their suspects brazenly speaking about cockfighting. Pacelle says they’ve reported potential legal exercise to Oklahoma legislation enforcement previously to no avail.

“We’d be completely satisfied to supply steering to legislation enforcement on the right way to deal with this,” he mentioned. “This isn’t a matter of a level of problem; it’s a matter of will.”

We referred to as seven sheriffs’ workplaces from the counties the place the teams’ suspected operators are listed within the report. Two of them referred to as again: Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton and Haskell County Investigator Dustin Lynch.

Walton mentioned they haven’t obtained any complaints anytime in current historical past. He provides that their division is overwhelmed with instances involving psychological well being and fentanyl and that cockfighting will not be a precedence for them.

Lynch mentioned they haven’t obtained any cockfighting complaints, both, however will examine any that they do.

This report comes as Oklahoma State Rep. Justin Humphrey plans to introduce a invoice subsequent week that will decriminalize cockfighting in Oklahoma.

“I’d identical to to see the day our legislators remedy this downside slightly than help in aiding criminals,” Edmonson mentioned.

The teams plan to current their findings to federal authorities as properly.

They are saying it’s not nearly inhumane, barbaric follow. It additionally contributes to different crimes like medication and prostitution. They add there’s a connection between cockfighting farms and the unfold of infectious illnesses like Avian flu and Newcastle illness.

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