Fears of cock-fighting ring after birds found dumped
“We know cock fighting goes on in places all over Ireland and there is big money passing hands — there can be thousands of euro at stake for those involved,” said Fiona Squib, inspector with the Louth Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The sport, which is illegal in this country, usually takes place between Easter and the end of July.
During a fight two birds are allowed to keep fighting until one eventually dies.
In recent days, the animal welfare inspector was called to two separate incidents in Dundalk where fighting cocks had been abandoned.
In one case, she found three large cocks abandoned on the Dublin Road.
Two of the injured birds had insulation tape covering their natural-grown spurs on the sides of their legs. This is often done to keep them sharp before a fight. However, they could also have been taped down to prevent them causing an injury to another animal. There are reports of steel spurs being attached to the natural spurs before a fight to increase the damage they can cause.
In the second case, the inspector found a cock and hen dumped near the Blackrock Road in Dundalk.
Gerry Donaghy, chairman of the Louth Poultry Fanciers Club, said they were possibly a breeding pair of Shamo or Anseel birds. Both breeds originated in south east Asia where they were bred for fighting.
The birds, Mr Donaghy said, were in a dreadful condition. “One had gone into molt and had been neglected. This bird got sunburn on its exposed skin. However, I treated it and both birds have now been re-homed.
“I wouldn’t rule out there is cock fighting going on locally,” he said. “It is a possibility and the taping of spurs is such a ‘no no’.”
Mr Donaghy feels whoever had dumped the birds, “is in the Dundalk area”.
Ms Squib said: “My concern is that cock fighting is going on around the place or else the birds are being used to bait dogs. They tease the dogs with the birds because a cock will use its talons to draw down on an animal and draw blood.”
lMr Donaghy asks anyone with birds they do not want to contact him instead of dumping them.
Contact him at Louth Poultry Fanciers’ Club; http://exa.mn/1c .
