Authorities rescued nearly 140 animals this week from a suspected dog and cockfighting operation in Kaufman County.
The SPCA of Texas said it helped law enforcement Tuesday seize 50 roosters, 43 hens, 34 adult dogs and 10 puppies from dire conditions. Dogs and roosters were locked in pens around the property, the agency said in a news release. Some were chained in the open without access to shelter while others had access to barrels, tarps and wooden and metal roofing.
Most of the dogs were underweight and some had injuries that indicated dog fighting, the agency said in a news release. Dogs were restrained with weighted collars and heavy chains, and some had no access to water.
Many of the roosters were held in wire cages with metal coverings, some inside a makeshift barn, and most only had access to contaminated water. Grounds were muddy and some areas contained standing water due to recent rain.
Authorities also found medications, a scale, several blood-spattered treadmills and used break sticks, typically used to pry open dogs’ jaws during fights. They also found slashers and gaffs, which are blades attached to roosters’ legs for cockfighting.
The owner relinquished custody of the animals, who are under the care of the SPCA of Texas, where they are being treated and cared for. Dogs will be evaluated for adoption or placement on a case-by-case basis, the agency said.
Dog and cockfighting is a felony in Texas, punishable by two years in jail and a $10,000 fine, but the operations continue to thrive in some places.
The state has seen a flurry of cockfighting busts in recent months. In September, authorities rescued about 75 birds from a cockfighting operation in Van Zandt County in the northeast part of the state. Officers also broke up cockfighting rings this year in Galveston and in Potter County in the Texas Panhandle.
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