The Pennsylvania SPCA (PSPCA) filed a petition to request that Kelly Cole pay over USD 20,000 after several roosters were seized from her home in a cockfighting bust.
Cole, hailing from Lancaster, was charged with over a dozen offenses related to animal cruelty after 22 roosters and one hen were confiscated from her Holtwood property back in November of 2023.
Many of the roosters were found to have their combs and wattles removed. According to the charging documents by investigators, roosters without combs and wattles are typically used for cockfighting. Other roosters were found to have no access to water.
Five of the birds seized from Cole’s property are still in the care of the PSPCA.

In the petition, the PSPCA requests Cole to pay for the five birds’ veterinary care, food, water, and shelter. The petition also argues that owners are responsible for the care of their animals and “because of this duty of care, the owners of animals are responsible for the costs of caring for those animals and that responsibility continued if those animals are duly seized.”
Cole is being asked to make payments to the PSPCA every month until one of the three things happens, namely: a final judgment is issued on the criminal charges related to animal cruelty, the owner surrenders all rights to the animals, and the seized animals are no longer under the control of the PSPCA.
Prothonotary records indicate that the case was assigned to a judge on Oct. 1.