TESTED WITH Steel

Photos taken on a game farm in Ecuador

 

Cockfighting is a blood sport in which roosters are placed in a ring and forced to fight to the death for the amusement of onlookers. The treatment of these intelligent animals before all of the fighting is just as stickening. They live a life in extremely poor conditions whilst being tethered and tortured. This terrible industry is worldwide. It is illegal and it has to stop! 

​

Tested with Steel

Rosters are born, raised and trained to fight on ‘game farms’. Breeders, called Cockers, kill the birds  who they deem inferior, only keeping the birds who are game-willing to fight. Many of these birds spend most of their lives tethered by one leg near inadequate shelter, such as a plastic barrel or a small cage. Breeders condition the birds to fight through physical work, including attaching weights or blades to their legs for practice fights with other roosters which is a process referred to as being ‘tested with steel’ by the cock fighters.  

 

Breeders often pluck the birds feathers and hack of the roosters wattles and/or the comb 9 on top of the head and under their beaks) to prevent other roosters from tearing them off in the ring.Since roosters do not have sweat glands, losing these body parts deprives them of the ability to cool themselves. Some cockers even cut off the birds spurs which are the natural bony protrusions on the back of their legs, so that they can be replaced with more deadly, artificial weapons strapped to the back of their legs instead. Law enforcement have even found performance enhancing drugs during raids. 

 

Implications

Cruelty to animals is often linked to other illegal crimes and children are often present at cockfights which is all the more shocking. This exposure from such a young age to such violence can promote sensitivity to suffering and enthusiasm for bloodshed.  While these children are exposed to this and aren’t educated on the truth of what is happening to these poor defenceless animals, there will always be another generation of cockers to continue this abuse. 

 

There is also a threat of disease. According to the International Health experts including the World Health Organisation, cockfighting has been linked to the spread of the highly l;ethal bird flu virus from birds to humans through contact with blood and feces. More shockingly, a lot of these game farms are in breeder's own backyards where their children play. Cockers often scrub the blood off with their bare hands before stitching wounds around the eyes. If the injuries are more severe, then some owners will relieve the swelling by sucking out the blood by mouth. 

 

What happens at Cockfights?

Cock fights are usually held in round or square enclosures called cockpits. With neck feathers fanned and wings whirring, the birds will jump and launch at each other, kicking, duelling and striking in mid-air with their feet and beaks. Handlers hold them beak to beak, yank their heads and blow on their backs to work them up into a frenzy. Once the fight starts, it doesn’t end until one rooster is dead or nearly dead. Loosing birds are often discarded in a bin even if they are still alive. 

 

What can you do?

If you suspect that this illegal activity is happening in your neighborhood, please contact local law enforcement authorities.