The Antelope Valley Times

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L.A. County cracks down on cockfighting

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LOS ANGELES – Seeking to stop illegal cockfighting while allowing bird lovers to breed and show roosters, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance Tuesday limiting the number of mature male chickens that residents can keep in unincorporated areas.

“There’s no question in my mind that this county needs to take action,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said.

Limits will be based on property size and residents with more than 10 roosters on any size property will need to be licensed as an animal facility.

Roosters trained to fight are sometimes fitted with knives and injected with adrenaline-boosting drugs and typically become too aggressive to be rescued and adopted, animal rights advocates told the board.

But the issue is bigger than animal abuse and complaints about noise and odor, because cockfighting often draws other illegal activity.

Sheriff’s Capt. Jeff Perry said the department has gotten more than 100 complaints of cockfights in progress over the past several years and served more than 35 search warrants on locations actively breeding roosters for fights.

Deputies have “discovered illegal weapons, including long rifles, illegal drugs … theft of utilities,” Perry said, while others mentioned prostitution and child endangerment.

Many cities — including 43 of the 88 within Los Angeles County — already prohibit roosters or limit the number allowed per residence. The county’s ordinance was modeled on one enacted in Solano County and reflects best practices, Barger said.

The county first considered the restrictions after “the largest cock- fighting raid in U.S. history” in the unincorporated community of Val Verde in the Santa Clarita Valley in May 2017, said Marcia Mayeda, who leads the Department of Animal Care and Control.

Animal control officers spent four days impounding nearly 8,000 roosters in Val Verde and spent roughly $270,000 on the enforcement effort.

Between 2012-18, the department impounded a total of 18,300 birds. And the problem is not restricted to rural neighborhoods. Thousands of fowl were confiscated from an unincorporated area near Compton.

Authorities said they designed the ordinance to balance the needs of hobbyists who show chickens by allowing as many as 25 roosters at a licensed animal facility.

Supervisor Janice Hahn questioned whether that number was too high.

“I was a little surprised at the 25,” Hahn said.

Mayeda explained that some breeders raise multiple lines of chickens and may need more than one rooster for each breed, as some mature.

“Legitimate poultry fanciers will be able to continue their hobby,” Mayeda said. “There are some remarkable chickens out there.”

The ordinance does not apply to hens, which can lay eggs without roosters.

“We have a lot of people who just raise hens to feed their family,” Supervisor Hilda Solis said.

First-time violators will be fined up to $100, with maximum fines doubling or more on subsequent violations.

The ordinance is expected to take effect in 30 days, but the department will work with residents to bring them into compliance between now and Dec. 31.

“Unless there’s a cockfighting situation. That’s a different situation,” Mayeda said.

Department officials later noted in a statement that complaints regarding noise, unsanitary conditions and animal abuse or neglect will be immediately enforced.

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Filed Under: Politics

14 comments for "L.A. County cracks down on cockfighting"

  1. I have experienced a high level of responsiveness and effectiveness from Lancaster Code Enforcement. Knowledge of our ordinances it critical though. It would appear this property is zoned RR1/RR2.5 and thus permitted 12 chickens per 20,000 square feet.
    Ordinences
    https://library.municode.com/ca/lancaster/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_CH17.08REZO_ARTIVSTSPLAUS_17.08.180ANKE
    Zoning Map
    https://www.cityoflancasterca.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=10749

  4. The AV is home to millions of blood thirsty Mexicans who love torturing animals for fun. Oh I know we are not supposed to talk about other cultures customs…but I do. There are not enough animal officers to go after all of them. Wherever you have illegal aliens and their cheer leader enablers you have blood sports and people that do not care about the rule of law.

    • Learn to count. The only way there are “millions” of anything in the AV is if you count the roosters as people.

    • You are right except for the millions but close to it. See them smashing pigs in heads with sledge hammers, killing horses, selling tamales full of gate y perro flesh etc. Five or more families living in a single family home, sending their tax free money back to Mexico, getting free government handouts, street vending fruit and such spreading hep c and listeria. It’s just sickening who moonbeam has allowed and is proud of what he is doing to California. Why did my family come here legally? Oh thats right, because we love America and RESPECT her!

  5. I read your article on Facebook today and have a neighbor, who reside at 42642 20th Street West, have over 10 roosters in their back yard. I have talked to animal control in Lancaster and nothing has been done. They are quite noisy.

    When you type the above address into GOOGLE EARTH, you can see that there are many blue barrels in the back. This is where the roosters are tied and there is another cage with more birds.

    After reading your article about the 10 Rooster maximum is there anything we can do?

    • No there is nothing you can do as all CA pols are cheerleaders for illegal aliens….and think it’s a civil right to torture animals….

    • Just as a side note – you chose to reside in a semi-rural agriculture zone. Barn yard noise is normal which is why that may be ignored by authorities. However any animal fighting is taken seriously and should be reported to animal control. PETA loves stepping in where they can make a high level bust.
      That yard is very well maintained.

    • The ordinance is not yet in effect. If they really have over ten roosters and they still have them when the ordinance takes effect report them again. Just consider that “I hear chickens” is not the same as “I see roosters.” If they have less than ten roosters out there among their chickens they are going to be within the law…unless you can bribe Wrecks into pushing a stricter ordinance for Lancaster.

    • I’ll trade you my neighbor’s barking Rottweiler for those roosters any day. Dang is that thing ridiculously loud.