Cockfight
Cockfighting is a practice that involves breeding roosters specifically for fighting, often to the death, and has a long history dating back thousands of years. Historically significant figures, including ancient philosophers and military leaders, have been associated with the sport, which was popular in various cultures such as those in ancient Greece and Rome. Cockfighting has remained prevalent in some regions, particularly in Spain and certain Latin American countries, where it is viewed as a traditional sport. In contrast, many developed nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have made cockfighting illegal due to animal welfare concerns, leading to organized protests against the practice.
In areas where it remains legal, cockfighting is often linked with gambling and underground activities, with significant sums of money wagered on fights. The preparation of gamecocks for these events includes selective breeding, training, and sometimes the use of performance-enhancing substances. While some enthusiasts argue that the instinct to fight is inherent in gamecocks, critics maintain that the practice is cruel and causes unnecessary suffering, as many birds are left severely injured. The debate surrounding cockfighting reflects broader discussions about animal rights, cultural traditions, and the ethics of animal use in entertainment.
Subject Terms
Cockfight
Cockfighting is the practice of pitting specifically bred roosters against each other in a fight to the death. Spectators gamble on which animal will survive the encounter. Cockfighting has been practiced for thousands of years. Despite this, the practice is illegal in many developed nations and is commonly protested against by animal rights and animal welfare organizations.
History of Cockfighting
Cockfighting has existed since the domestication of the fowl. Some historians believe that fighting was the first purpose for domesticating birds, and that farming chickens for food came later. It is said that cockfights took place in the home of the famous Chinese philosopher Confucius in 500 BCE. Themistocles, an ancient Greek general, introduced the sport to Greece. He found two roosters by the side of the road and took them back to his camp to show his troops, who were preparing to repel a hopeless invasion by the powerful Persian army. The roosters fought each other bravely in front of the men, inspiring them to fight the Persians in a similar manner, leading to a Greek victory.
Cockfighting was also popular in ancient Egypt. Breeding, training, and trading gamecocks proved a profitable business. This led to the Romans adopting the sport, who associated gamecocks with Apollo, god of the sun, and with Mars, their god of war. They admired the gamecocks’ fighting spirit, speed, strength, and bravery. Through their conquests, the Romans spread cockfighting to Europe. Breeding and fighting gamecocks proved extremely popular throughout Europe, especially in England and Spain. The sport remained popular in England until it was banned in the seventeenth century, while its popularity has not changed in Spain and Spanish-influenced countries through the twenty-first century. From Europe, cockfighting spread to the New World, where it was practiced by many of America’s most revered historical figures, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and Abraham Lincoln. During America's early days, cockfighting was a legal and socially acceptable activity.
Modern Cockfighting
In the twenty-first century, cockfighting is illegal in many countries, including England and the United States. In the United States, cockfighting is a felony in more than forty states, with spectators and those participating in the sport paying hefty fines if caught. Buying or selling fighting birds is illegal in thirty-nine states, and animal fighting paraphernalia is illegal in twenty-nine states. Animal rights groups routinely push for tougher penalties on cockfighting, arguing that the sport is cruel to the animals involved. In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the federal Animal Fighting Prohibition Act was updated five times to expand the protection of animals and decrease cockfighting rates. In the states where cockfighting is a misdemeanor offense, the penalties may be very light, and cockfighting may be prevalent. Underground cockfighting thrives in many of these areas. Cockfighting events are known to coincide with gambling, drugs, and violence. Because the laws against cockfighting may be lax, police officers may fail to investigate claims, and the fines given for the offense may cost little more than a traffic ticket, providing little deterrence.
In 2008, Louisiana became the last American state to ban cockfighting, but while cockfighting is banned in every state in the US, breeding gamecocks for cockfighting is not. A well-bred gamecock may sell for thousands of dollars. Individuals may breed hundreds of gamecocks at once, tracing lineages and breeds for decades in the quest for the largest, fiercest fighter. Breeders and trainers called galleros or traberos prepare specialized gamecocks to fight from birth. They are well-fed and pampered to ensure the strongest possible gamecock. Some birds are fed steroids or given stimulants to provide an advantage over the gamecocks of other breeders. In many cases, the birds are trained to be hyperaggressive, attacking other birds at first sight.
American gamecocks are often sold in the Dominican Republic and the Philippines, where cockfighting remains legal in the twenty-first century. In these places, cockfighting is considered a sport like any other. Tens of thousands of dollars may be gambled on a single fight, making cockfighting a massive and lucrative industry. In 2019, the US Congress passed a federal ban on cockfighting in Puerto Rico, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2021. However, some argued that this ban strained the economy, with 11,000 jobs depending on the cockfighting tradition.
Owners prepare gamecocks for fights by attaching spurs called gaffs to the birds' legs. Spurs are metal or plastic blades that replace the natural spikes found on a gamecock’s legs. Different types of spurs provide different types of entertainment for those watching the fights. Long, curved spurs tend to cause grievous injuries quickly, leading to a short but exciting fight. Shorter, straight spurs cause puncture wounds, which do not debilitate as quickly. Fights in which straight spurs are used on the birds may last longer than fifteen minutes. In many cases, both gamecocks involved often succumb to their wounds after the battle.
Cockfighting enthusiasts defend their sport by arguing that fighting is what gamecocks want to do. They have been bred for it and will fight to the death if simply placed in the proximity of another rooster. They also argue that cockfighting is part of their culture and needs to be preserved as part of their heritage. Others even argue that gamecocks are unable to feel pain in the same way as humans or other animals.
Critics of cockfighting argue that it is the breeders' fault that these animals naturally fight each other and medical evidence shows that gamecocks feel physical pain similarly to humans. They also argue that cockfighting is a barbaric and cruel cultural tradition; many of the fighting birds are only wounded in the battle and are left to suffer until they die from their injuries. Additionally, cockfighting is associated with a range of illegal activities, including illegal gambling, drug and weapons trafficking, gang activity, and violent crime. Sophisticated drug cartel networks have also used the cockfighting industry to distribute a range of drugs across the US.
Bibliography
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