Oklahoma: Cockfighting Must Remain a Serious Crime

OK H.B. 2530—Reducing Cockfighting Penalties

ASPCA Position: Oppose

Sponsors: Senator Lonnie Paxton and Reps. Humphrey and Sneed

Update—March 22, 2023: Disappointing news. The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed H.B. 2530, bringing this bill one step closer to becoming law. There’s still time to stop it but your voice is needed TODAY! Please contact your state senator and urge them to oppose H.B. 2530.

A dangerous pair of bills is moving quickly through the Oklahoma Legislature right now. If passed, they would reduce penalties for the heinous crime of cockfighting. We must protect Oklahoma’s communities by opposing this serious rollback in penalties for such a harmful and egregious crime.

Under Oklahoma’s current state law, those found guilty of cockfighting can be charged with a felony offense—an effective deterrent to participating in such an atrocious act. House Bill 2530 aims to reduce penalties to a mere misdemeanor, which could lead to an increase in cockfighting throughout Oklahoma and jeopardize the safety of your community.

Learn More

Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states. Animals used for horrific blood sports like this one are subjected to indescribable suffering and cruelty—often living out their numbered days in squalid conditions, chained and injured, without access to basic care.

In organized cockfights, a bird may undergo several months of brutal training in preparation for a fight. In the final moments before the fight begins, the feathers of these poor creatures are painfully plucked and the loose skin below their beak is torn off. Then they are forced to attack one another.

Criminals fasten knives or long, barbed spears to their bird's feet, with the hope that their bird will impale the other, puncturing a lung, piercing an eye or breaking bones to inflict maximum injury or death. While the rules usually do not require one or both birds to die for a winner to be declared, death is the most likely outcome due to the severity of injuries.

Forcing animals to fight for entertainment and profit is a serious crime that has no place in any community. In addition to its barbaric nature, cockfighting is often closely connected to other crimes such as gambling, drugs and acts of violence.

What You Can Do

Don’t delay! Please submit our easy form to email your state senator, urging them to oppose H.B. 2530.

Advocacy Alert

Your Message

Subject Keep Blood sports Out of Our Communities

Dear Senator,

Message

As a constituent who resides in your district, I urge you to please OPPOSE H.B. 2530, a bill that threatens to reduce penalties for the heinous crime of cockfighting.

This legislation would be a tremendous step backwards for Oklahoma and could have the negative, unintended consequence of increasing crime in our communities.

Cockfighting is a serious offense and should be treated as such. Animals who are subjected to blood sports are victims of indescribably cruel treatment. Aside from being inhumane to animals, cockfighting is also closely connected to other crimes such as gambling, drugs and acts of violence.

Allowing counties to reduce penalties for cockfighting, as proposed in H.B. 2530, would send a strong message emboldening those associated with this horrific activity to carry out animal fighting activities—and could even make Oklahoma a haven or destination for cockfighters from other states.

Once again, I ask that you please protect Oklahoma’s communities by opposing H.B. 2530.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my position.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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