Cockfighting rings exist in Bucks County. Why they can go largely undetected

The criminal investigation into an alleged large-scale cockfighting ring in Central Bucks County is continuing, but animal rights advocates say that underground bloodsport rings operating in the suburbs are not unprecedented.

What is rare is that authorities were able to interrupt a match taking place, they said.

“It exists in the suburban counties at a pretty decent rate,” said Nicole Wilson, director of animal law enforcement for the Pennsylvania SPCA. “It’s just a little more challenging to see.”

More arrests are anticipated as a result of the Feb. 18 discovery inside a two-car detached garage on a property in the 1000 block of North Easton Road in Plumstead.  As of Feb. 28, the investigation is continuing, an SPCA spokeswoman said.

Cockfighting is illegal in the United States and it carries a felony charge even for spectators. In Pennsylvania it is a misdemeanor to possess paraphernalia used in cockfighting.

But the threat of arrest has not stopped what advocates describe as a sport that is deeply ingrained in cultures where families have raised and fought roosters for generations.

Why animal welfare workers are not surprised to find animal fighting in the suburbs

Bucks County SPCA spokeswoman Cindy Kelly estimated the agency gets complaints about suspected animal fighting once every couple years.

Before the Plumstead case, the last cockfighting case it handled was more than a decade ago, Kelly said.

“That is not to say there aren’t things happening. We don’t know what happens in every quiet part of the county,” Kelly said. “Most of us don’t imagine there are still people who enjoy that sort of thing. It’s out of sight, out of mind for most of us.”

Cockfighting involves two or more specially bred birds, called gamecocks, that are placed in a pit to fight for the purposes of gambling and entertainment, according to the Humane Society of the United States. It is a popular sport in Mexico, Spain, Latin America, Caribbean, and parts of Asia.

Most gamecocks live tied to a stake, barrel or inside small hut, according to the humane society. They are often injected with steroids and adrenaline boosting drugs and they are kept in a small dark box to isolate them from other animals and deprive them of stimuli and natural behavior for two to three weeks before a fight.

Statewide, animal fighting investigations have declined significantly since 2019 when there were 41 compared with 16 last year according to Pennsylvania SPCA data. Four cases involved cockfighting where more than 170 birds were rescued.

But the decline doesn’t signal waning interest, rather the lack of resources, Wilson said. In 2014 financial reasons led to dissolving the statewide team dedicated to investigating tips about animal fighting, she said.

The Pennsylvania SPCA has seen more success identifying animal fighting rings in urban and suburban areas of southeastern Pennsylvania mostly because they are harder to hide because people are living closer together, Wilson said.

The Plumstead property where the alleged cockfighting operation was discovered  is owned by a trust in the name of Thomas Heibel, according to county property records.

In her experience, animal fighting operations are about evenly split between birds and dogs, Wilson said.  Birds are easier to transport, and cheaper to breed and maintain.

The recent popularity in backyard farming and chicken raising in suburban communities has helped make cockfighting easier to conceal.

In municipalities where farming and livestock uses are permitted, ring operators will have decoy birds positioned outside, so when neighbors hear roosters they don’t get suspicious, Wilson said.

Noise complaints are typically how animal welfare agencies are tipped off, Wilson said. Matches typically have loud party-like atmospheres and attract dozens of spectators and participants.

“Some of these fights, people are charging admission, but also they are selling food, they are selling drinks,” Wilson said.

Often other criminal activities take place at animal fighting matches frequently involving illegal drugs and firearms sales and gambling, Wilson said.

What happens to roosters bred to fight and what it means for the birds that are rescued

The 49 birds removed from the Plumstead property will remain in SPCA custody until the criminal case is concluded, Kelly said.

But not all of them may be adoptable.

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Roosters used in cockfighting are bred to be aggressive and they are hostile to other animals and human handlers, Wilson said.  It makes rehabilitating rescued birds almost impossible once they’ve participated in matches, she said.

Owners will remove the bird’s comb and wattle, which bleed profusely if an opponent latches onto them. The breast feathers are shaved. The natural spur on the bird’s legs are also removed so a knife, razor or hook can be attached for fighting.

Matches can last 30 minutes to an hour where the birds are inflicting numerous wounds before a winner is declared, Typically one or both birds dies as a result of injuries.

Bucks County law enforcement believe at least two dozen people attended the Feb. 18 event in Plumstead, though most fled when police arrived.

So far only one 21-year-old Chester County man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges.

Cesar Cordova-Morales allegedly was found with a satchel containing items commonly used in cockfighting, including razor blades, plastic spurs, animal-performance enhancing drugs, and leg tags, police said.

The items that Cordova-Morales allegedly had with him are typically part of a “dress kit,” which suggests that was “not simply a spectator,” Wilson said.

The items he had are used to secure a gaff, a small blade or plastic spurs, to the bird’s legs, Wilson said. Individuals who can secure gaffs are much sought after in fight operations, she added.

Most people involved in cockfighting have been doing it for generations, so it is part of their cultural identity, Wilson said. There are also subsets of males who pursue the sport as a show of manhood, she added.

It is the reason why there is a high level of recidivism with animal fighting.

“It’s a part of how they identify themselves. As a result, individuals who fight animals often are not inclined to give it up,” Wilson said. “They became smarter about it.”

The community can donate to BCSPCA’s Animal Relief Fund help provide for their care. Anyone with information about this case, or any possible case of cruelty and neglect in Bucks County, should report what they know at 844-SPCA-Tip (844-772-2847) or reportcruelty@buckscountyspca.org.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: How cockfighting is hidden in plain sight in suburbs