According to an SPAC of Texas press release, the organization, along with Van Zandt County officials searched a rural property near Edgewood, Van Zandt County, Texas, and busted an ongoing cockfight when they arrived.
Two men, Keith Stuart Cumbee and Rufus Shane Herron, were arrested in connection with animal cruelty due to their alleged cockfighting operation. 74 birds were also confiscated from the property; 66 of them were live roosters, 4 were live hens, and 4 were dead roosters.
In a civil hearing, Judge Herbert Dunn charged Cumbee and Herron with cockfighting, causing animals to fight each other and/or earn from cruelty to non-livestock animals. The Judge also awarded ownership of registration papers of the living fowl to the SPCA of Texas and ordered the owners to pay the SPCA USD 4,417.50, under Section 821.023(e)(3) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
The live animals were transported to the SPCA of Texas’ Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center in Dallas. They are currently being evaluated by medical staff and cared for until a civil custody hearing takes place.
According to the sheriff’s office, the roosters were found in individual pens and transport boxes throughout the property. Many of them were also kept in large, wire pens outdoors in the heavily wooded area. Other birds were found inside vehicles in transport boxes. The deputies also found paraphernalia such as short knives and gaffs.
Authorities found a covered arena containing a makeshift fighting ring with bleachers for spectators and several tented holding pens were splashed and littered with feathers. There was also a concession stand nearby.
Some of the roosters looked to be lethargic and had severe injuries with multiple wounds. Other birds were found already deceased due to injuries from fighting.
The SPCA had to euthanize six of the roosters after being in their facility due to traumatic fighting wounds.
“Cockfighting has been illegal in Texas for decades, but it still runs rampant in our rural and urban areas,” said SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA.
She added, “This blood sport not only results in lethal consequences for the birds engaged in the act, but it breeds other criminal activity such as illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and violent crimes. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for these inhumane and dangerous practices and we are proud to partner with them to help keep the community safe.”
