More arrests are expected as police appear to have uncovered large cockfighting ring

BUCKS COUNTY, PENN, UNITED STATES, February 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Animal Wellness Action reacts to the arrest of a 21-year-old Chester County man who faces a felony animal fighting charge. More arrests are expected after police uncovered a large cockfighting ring in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Cockfighting and associated activities are a felony in Pennsylvania and also a felony under federal law.

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, offers this statement:

“Cockfighting is a barbaric and sickening spectator sport, where people attach knives to the animals’ legs and thrill in the bloodletting,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, which is leading a national campaign to eradicate the practice. “We applaud the police in Bucks County and the Bucks County SPCA for putting a stop to this spectacle and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Pennsylvania must have a zero-tolerance policy for staged animal fights.”

Related, the federal FIGHT Act H.R. 2742/S. 1529, is written to strengthen the federal law against animal fighting, complementing Pennsylvania’s strong state law against the practice.

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, D-Bucks County, was an original cosponsor of the FIGHT Act. U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, both Democrats, have also cosponsored the legislation. The Bucks County DA’s Office has already endorsed the FIGHT Act along with more than 45 other Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies.

The legislation, which has the backing of 450 endorsing agencies, would strengthen existing federal law against dogfighting and cockfighting by allowing a private right of action against dogfighters and cockfighting, banning on-line gambling on animal fights, allowing for criminal forfeiture of equipment and properties used in the commission of these crimes, and enhancing prohibitions on shipping fighting roosters through the U.S. mail. Animal Wellness Action has discovered that cockfighters annually send tens of thousands of live roosters for cockfights in boxes through the U.S. mail.

In Pennsylvania, the endorsement list includes:

Animal Welfare Organizations
Animal Advocates of South Central Pennsylvania, Bucks County Audubon Society, Forever Home Beagle Rescue (Pittsburgh), Good Old Tails Senior Animal Rescue (Hanover), Harmony Dog Rescue (Zelienople), Hello Bully (Pittsburgh), Hope Haven Farm Sanctuary (Sewickley), Humane Action Pennsylvania, Humane Action Pittsburgh, Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, Indiana County Humane Society, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary (Dalton), Indraloka Sanctuary Children’s Programs (Dalton), Kindred Spirits Rescue Ranch (Darlington), Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, Misfits Coven Animal Haven (Prosperity), Montgomery County SPCA (Conshohocken), Pittsburgh Squealers (Tarentum), Pittsburgh Vegan Society, Revolution Philadelphia, Vegan Pittsburgh, Woody’s Place Senior German Shepherd Sanctuary (Greentown).

Law Enforcement
Adams County District Attorney's Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Beaver County District Attorney's Office, Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, Berks County Sheriff’s Office, Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Butler County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Centre County District Attorney’s Office, Centre County Sheriff’s Office, Chester County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Clinton County District Attorney’s Office, Columbia County District Attorney’s Office, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office, Dauphin County Sheriff’s Office, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, Elk County District Attorney’s Office, Elk County Sheriff’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Forest County Sheriff's Office, Huntingdon County District Attorney’s Office, Huntingdon County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana County Sheriff’s Office, Lebanon County District Attorney's Office, Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, McKean County District Attorney’s Office, McKean County Sheriff’s Office, Mifflin County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County District Attorney's Office, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Montour County District Attorney’s Office, Northampton County District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Potter County Sheriff’s Office, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Susquehanna County Sheriff’s Office, Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, West Whiteland Township Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office

ABOUT
Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) whose mission is to help animals by promoting laws and regulations at federal, state and local levels that forbid cruelty to all animals. The group also works to enforce existing anti-cruelty and wildlife protection laws. Animal Wellness Action believes helping animals helps us all. X: @AWAction_News
The Center for a Humane Economy is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is to help animals by helping forge a more humane economic order. The Center encourages businesses to honor their social responsibilities in a culture where consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders abhor cruelty and the degradation of the environment and embrace innovation as a means of eliminating both. The Center believes helping animals helps us all. X: @TheHumaneCenter

WAYNE PACELLE
ANIMAL WELLNESS ACTION
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