WTF: Cockfighting Still Legal?
According to the National Geographic, cockfighting is still legal in the state of Louisiana, where razors are tied to the roosters’ legs so that the battles are especially bloody. There is enormous pressure from all states for the bill to ban cockfighting to be passed. Some gambling Louisianians argue that, since huge money is being put down, it’s essential for the post-Katrina economy. In New Mexico, people are complaining that they’re losing a tradition that has been passed down for ages.
It’s true that some cultures view and treat animals differently, but how can one have the audacity to argue for cockfighting when stuff like this goes on?
Cockfighting involves specially bred birds, known as gamecocks. Their legs are fitted with razor-sharp steel blades, or gaffs, which look like three inch long curved ice picks.
The birds are let loose inside an enclosure where they fight to the death, which can take anywhere from several minutes to a half hour.
“These [birds] are the pit bulls of the poultry world,” said John Goodwin, deputy manager of animal-fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States.
“They’ve been bred for many, many generations to have this artificial level of aggression against others of their own species.”
Punctured lungs, broken bones, and pierced eyes are just a few of the injuries birds sustain during fights, experts say.
Needless to say, many areas do continue to hold cockfights despite the bans. Maybe gamblers should take up another sport…such as Pokemon!
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