The SPCA of Texas has been awarded custody of 74 birds who were rescued from a cockfighting operation. At an October 11 civil custody hearing at the Van Zandt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 courthouse in Wills Point, the Honorable Judge Herbert Dunn awarded custody of the birds to the SPCA, along with $4,417.50 in restitution for the cost of investigation, expert witnesses, housing, and care for the animals from the time of the seizure until the hearing under the Texas Health and Safety Code.

Unfortunately, the SPCA of Texas does not expect to receive any of this money to help offset costs.

According to a release, the birds were seized on Saturday, September 28 when the SPCA of Texas and the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office entered a rural property near Edgewood in Van Zandt County where a cockfight was in progress.

The SPCA of Texas took custody of the birds, including 66 live roosters, four deceased roosters, and four live hens.

For the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office, this investigation remains active. Deputies continue to pursue potential charges in this case. Anyone with information on this case should call the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office at 903-567-4133.

Roosters were found in individual pens and transport boxes throughout the property. Many birds were kept in wire pens outdoors in the heavily wooded area. Other birds were found inside vehicles in transport boxes.

Tools attached to roosters' legs by jerky male tools to make cockfighting injuries more lethal.SPCA

Paraphernalia, including short knives and gaffs, were also found. A covered arena containing a makeshift fighting ring with bleachers for spectators and several tented holding pens were splashed with blood and littered with feathers. A concession stand was nearby.

Several of the roosters appeared to be lethargic and severely injured with multiple wounds. Other birds were found already deceased, having succumbed to injuries from fighting. After being examined, six of the roosters were euthanized at the SPCA of Texas' facility due to traumatic fighting wounds.

"Cockfighting has been illegal in Texas for decades, but it still runs rampant in our rural and urban areas," said SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA. "This blood sport not only results in lethal consequences for the birds engaged in the act, but it breeds other criminal activity such as illegal gambling, drug trafficking and violent crimes. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for these inhumane and dangerous practices and we are proud to partner with them to help keep the community safe."

Chickens are social animals with a complex social structure called the "pecking order". In real life, roosters use their machismo to protect hens. It's depressing that human males with small IQs and other small body parts need to see roosters killing each other to make them feel strong.

Cockfighting is a crime in all 50 states, including Texas, where it is a felony to cause birds to fight with one another and/or to use property for cockfighting, punishable by up to two years in a state jail and/or up to a $10,000 fine. In Texas, it is a Class A misdemeanor to possess, manufacture or sell cockfighting paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor to own or train a rooster with the intent to fight the bird and a Class C misdemeanor to be a spectator at a cockfight. Federal law also prohibits any interstate or foreign transport of fighting animals.