Cockfighters Boo-Hoo About Ban

[RedGlitter]

June 15, 2007, 2:39AM

New Mexico cockfighters brace for ban



By TIM KORTE Associated Press Writer

© 2007 The Associated Press

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Some cockfighters might take their roosters south of the border. Others are likely to go underground.

When a new law takes effect Friday, it no longer will be legal to fight roosters in New Mexico. That leaves Louisiana as the only state where cockfighting is legal — though a ban is under consideration there.

"People in this state have been fighting roosters for hundreds of years. Then all of a sudden to outlaw it, that's just not right," said Ronald Barron, president of the New Mexico Game Fowl Association.

Cockfighters plan to file a lawsuit challenging the ban, possibly as early as next week. An Idaho lawyer who is representing the New Mexico cockfighters didn't return telephone messages seeking details.

Supporters of the legislation against cockfighting include animal-rights activists and New Mexico's three Roman Catholic bishops, who say cockfighting is cruel to the animals and should have been outlawed long ago.

Several New Mexico counties already had banned the bloodsport before the statewide ban was passed by the Legislature in March.

During a cockfight, two roosters fitted with blades or gaffs on their legs are placed into a pit and fight until one is dead or badly wounded. Although gambling on the fights is illegal, spectators openly wager on the outcome.

The law makes participating in a cockfight a misdemeanor for the first two offenses and a felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison for subsequent offenses.

"We are putting people on notice," Attorney General Gary King warned. "If you violate animal-protection laws, you will be prosecuted."

Barron said many cockfighters are law-abiding citizens. He predicted they'll stop attending the fights, but he also believes the law will simply force others underground.

"Yep, it's going to happen, no doubt in my mind," he said. "It happens all throughout the United States. Why should it be any different in New Mexico?"

Barron said the law unfairly hurts people who raise roosters to make a living off cockfighting, as well as those employed at feed stores and game pits.

Tommy Booth, who has operated a popular cockfighting pit north of Hobbs since 1995, said the site has shut down and won't stage fights anymore.

He predicted much of his business will shift to Texas border communities, such as Ojinaga, Mexico. But he also said cockfighters are planning to open a pit in Palomas, Mexico, which is across the border from Columbus, N.M.

"Mexico is really opening the door for us," Booth said.

[Pheasy]

I agree barbaric. Do people still dog fight, thats just sick too.

Am I right in saying that they usually use Pitbulls - I wonder if (as they are banned in UK) this still goes on there. Or do they just use a different type of dog now?.

[RedGlitter]

ThePheasant;637893 wrote: I agree barbaric. Do people still dog fight, thats just sick too.

Am I right in saying that they usually use Pitbulls - I wonder if (as they are banned in UK) this still goes on there. Or do they just use a different type of dog now?.


Can't speak for the UK, but it's fairly prevalent in the American underground. Cities and rural backwaters as well. We have a dogfighting ring where I live and the cops know about it but they're not really pressing to quelch it. That may say more about the type of lowlife cops we have in my town than anything else.

They do favor pits but will often use any "fighting" type dog or any dog they can make mean. But pits and pit mixes are the preferred choice. As well, they'll use other "gentler" breeds and mixes (I say that like that because I know pits are often big loves) and "weaker" dogs as fight bait.

These "people" are total wastes of sperm and egg. There is just no reason for sick sadsacks like that to populate the earth.

As for cockfighting, it was only in the last I think, maybe 7 or so years that Arizona voted to ban it. As we have a large Hispanic population, many of them were crying over "losing a part of their traditional culture." Made me sick. And heck, even one of our counties' freaking mayors was against the ban because "it's always been a part of Arizona's tradition!" God. As if maiming and killing and indeed torturing an animal should ever be part of anyone's flipping "tradition!" And yeah, I'm including Spain and Mexico's bullfughts when I say that.

[YZGI]

Wow they use chickens in their cockfighting?

[Lon]

Too bad they can't put a ban on "People Fighting" (wars), they have been doing that for hundreds of years as well.

[scarface_mtl]

We may be at the top of the food chain but in terms of evolution we have a hell of a ways to go.