Man arrested, over 800 roosters seized in massive Sonoma County cockfighting ring bust

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Authorities in Sonoma County arrested a man and seized a total of 833 roosters in one of the Bay Area's largest cockfighting ring busts. All the roosters are likely to be euthanized due to their aggressive training and exposure to the fighting ring.

Following a six-month investigation, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office raided a massive cockfighting complex in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, February 25.

There were cages, housing more than 800 roosters, along with other evidence that indicated bird fighting was taking place -- including betting slips and supplements used to condition the birds.

A 30-year-old Santa Rosa resident was booked on animal cruelty charges and additional charges related to bird fighting.

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Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states, however advocacy groups like Animal Wellness Action say California has some of the weakest penalties in the West despite bans on possessing fighting birds. It says California treats cockfighting crimes typically as only misdemeanor penalties, even as its border states treat staged animal fighting between roosters as felonies.

"We applaud the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office for unraveling a massive cockfighting complex, and it has gathered up unmistakable evidence to support its arrest of the operator," said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action in a press statement.

"Cockfighters have flocked to California because the state has the weakest penalties in the West when it comes to staged animal fighting. We'll see more of these massive complexes like the one in Sonoma County until the state gets serious about cracking down on this malicious cruelty," Pacelle said.