YELM, Wash. — The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office says a Yelm homeowner has surrendered the remaining roosters on their property to animal control after they were investigated for cockfighting.
Last week, investigators and animal service agencies found 500 birds while serving a search warrant on a property.
Deputies say dozens of horses and goats were also recovered from the property, suffering from various levels of starvation. The case began after an animal welfare group photographed one emaciated horse on the property.
That picture spurred a month-long investigation that included drive-by surveillance operations and photographs taken from above the property. The roosters were found staked up or caged across the property.
Blade-like weapons that are known to be strapped to fighting roosters were found on the property. Drugs, including one labeled “antibiotics for cockfighting” were also found. Those combined with how the roosters were housed all were consistent with cockfighting, Lt. Mike Brooks told KIRO 7.
“They mutilated the birds to enhance their fighting ability,” Brooks said.
Sam Moore, the founder of the Washington State Animal Fighting Task Force, told KIRO 7 that scenes like this ‘happen all the time.’
Moore said operations usually have thousands of dollars on the line in betting and bloodlines for the birds. She said this was one of the largest busts she has seen in at least four years in the state.
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