Cockfighting ring busted
By David Weir - Surrey North Delta Leader - March 01, 2008

Nearly 1,270 roosters have been seized and destroyed during a raid of what's believed to be the largest cockfighting operation in Canadian history.

Fourteen B.C. SPCA special constables, veterinary staff and farm animal specialists, along with 11 members of the RCMP and three Surrey bylaw officers, executed a search warrant on three separate Surrey properties on Wednesday and Thursday.

Some of the birds discovered were missing eyes and limbs, and had head wounds and other cuts believed inflicted during fights.

Investigators also located a wide range of paraphernalia associated with cockfighting, including spurs or gaffs used to slash opponents, scorecards used to record the win/loss records of individual breeders, and syringes and medications used on injured birds.

There were also training devices such as a feathered mock bird on the end of a stick used to agitate birds and encourage aggression, as well as boxing muffs that are placed on birds' feet during training sessions so they don't injure other birds before bouts.

"To have busted a cockfighting ring of this scale, will obviously put a huge dent in this kind of blood sport," said Lorie Chortyk, B.C. SPCA spokesperson.

"For us, the fact that anyone could consider this horrific blood sport entertaining is unacceptable."

A farm worker leaving one of the properties Thursday afternoon denied there was cockfighting at the 36-acre farm, saying they were simply raising chickens for export.

The man, who refused to give his name, went on to complain about how the RCMP and B.C. SPCA behaved during the raid.

"They're talking about cruelty to animals. They're the ones being cruel. They strangled, they twisted the heads of the chickens. They killed all of our chickens."

The raids follow a nearly two-year-long investigation by the RCMP's Integrated Illegal Gaming Enforcement Team (IIGET). The B.C. SPCA received the initial tip in April 2006.

"By their very nature, these types of activities are somewhat difficult to investigate because quite often they are done out of the public eye. Also, most of the people that are attending these events are attending by strict invitation only," said Const. Annie Linteau, spokesperson for the RCMP's E-Divsion.

The warrant was executed over a 21-hour period on properties in the 4800 block of 168 Street, 16000 block of 50 Avenue and 3900 block of 176 Street.

News of the raid shocked Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts.

"I'm absolutely appalled that this behaviour even goes on," she said.

Linteau said charges are pending against a 58-year-old-man who resides at one of the three properties. He could face a charge of keeping a cockpit or cruelty to animals.

The B.C. SPCA is also recommending animal cruelty charges against a total of 28 people in relation to the alleged cockfight operation.

It's not clear how prevalent animal fighting is in B.C. There's been only one other cockfighting ring broken up in the province, and that was in 1998 when Burnaby RCMP stumbled on a cockfight in progress.

Chortyk said this was a difficult warrant for SPCA officers to execute because federal law requires all roosters found on a property with a cockfight pit be destroyed.

"It's devastating," she said. "What we do is save animal lives, so it was a very tough warrant (for our officers) because we had to euthanize those birds, as per the law."