Two men accused of running a cockfighting ring
Posted August 18, 2010 12:52 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has stopped an alleged cockfighting ring in Southern Ontario.
Justin Irvine and Scott Hamilton, both of Tecumseh, were charged Tuesday with owning or possessing equipment or structures used in animal fighting or training.
A few days prior, cockfighting equipment had been seized under a separate warrant.
It was the first charge ever laid under this section of the OSPCA Act, which was amended last year.
A search warrant was executed on May 17 and roosters were removed from the property.
The OSPCA alleges the birds were outfitted with knives on their legs.
Staff with the local Humane Society had hoped to be able to save the birds, but
Dr. Ravi Sankar determined the animals should be euthanized for humane reasons.
The Humane Society said that cockfighting roosters are “extremely aggressive” and that there was no way such “badly damaged” birds could be healed.
“Cockfighting is an illegal activity that involves training birds to fight one another in a confined area, with wagers usually placed on the outcome,” the Humane Society said in a release. “The birds are often fitted with knives on their legs, such as the ones that led to these charges, to increase the damage they are able to inflict.
