Seven people were arrested and charged over the weekend with running a cockfighting tournament in western Caldwell County.
Caldwell County authorities confiscated 65 live roosters and five dead ones as evidence during a raid Saturday. Caldwell County Animal Care and Control and the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office conducted the raid.
Authorities raided property at Wheeler Hollow Place at about noon Saturday in the Collettsville area of western Caldwell County after receiving an anonymous tip that a cockfighting tournament was taking place. Wheeler Hollow Place is off Husbands Creek Road.
Two of the live roosters have died since being confiscated, according to a press release. The remaining roosters are being housed at the Caldwell County Animal Shelter in Lenoir while the investigation into the cockfighting ring continues.
According to authorities, the search for additional suspects is ongoing as several people fled the scene during the raid. Cockfighting evidence, including fighting spurs, training apparatus and substances commonly associated with cockfighting, was found on the property, according to Caldwell Animal Care and Control. Other clues indicating an active cockfighting operation include the confiscated birds having spur marks on their legs and their combs cut off.
Based on the number of roosters involved in the alleged activities, and the geographic diversity of those arrested, Animal Control Director Chad Barr said Saturday's bust was the biggest he's experienced in Caldwell County.
"We've never dealt with something with cockfighting at this level," Barr said.
On Monday, Caldwell County Emergency Services made a request for a N.C. Department of Agriculture Companion Animal Mobile Equipment Trailer to assist in housing the animals. Two trailers were brought in, one from Catawba County and the other from Mitchell. The trailers will allow Animal Control to more humanely house the roosters, Barr said.
Animal Control also will focus on ensuring the birds do not pose a threat to the community. Because the origins of the various birds are not known, the N.C. Agriculture Department will be in Lenoir today to test the animals for conditions such as avian flu. If any of the birds test positive, they will be euthanized to protect local residents and the poultry industry.
"Lots of times these birds come from as far away as Mexico," Barr said, referencing other cockfighting cases in general.
Among the next steps for Animal Control is to consult with the Humane Society of the United States, which helped in 2008's pit bull animal cruelty case in Dudley Shoals, Barr said. The agency also will begin questioning the suspects allegedly involved in the activity.
Caldwell Animal Care and Control is the lead agency on the case, with the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office assisting. Also helping with Saturday's raid was Lenoir Police Department.
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