On September 13, 2011 the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a county ordinance aimed at deterring cockfighting and
ensuring that chickens are kept in humane conditions by their owners. For details, see the San Diego News report: http://www.10news.com/news/29172297/detail.html.
United Poultry Concerns Correspondent Ronnie Steinau worked diligently in cooperation with the San Diego County Department of Animal Services
and others to propel the ordinance to limit the number of roosters that may be kept by San Diego County residents. Her initiative to oversee
and direct local grassroots groups to secure public support for the ordinance paid off.
Ronnie’s letter to the editor (below) was published in the San Diego County Tribune and the North County Times:
COCKFIGHTING: A CONCERN TO CROW ABOUT
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors should vote 5-0 in favor of the proposed rooster ordinance. Limiting roosters on a premises to deter
cockfighting protects public health, safety and welfare.
Cockfighting involves using illegal drugs to induce abnormal aggression in roosters. Invariably it involves drug trafficking, illegal gambling,
violence, and contributes to the delinquency of minors.
Tethered roosters suffer from abnormal stress and increased susceptibility to diseases. Avian influenza and Salmonella affect bird health,
human health, and may impact the food supply. The birds crow incessantly, causing disturbing noise levels.
Responsible people who have chickens as pets maintain a flock balance of several hens and one or two roosters. People engaging in cockfighting
and game fowl breeding typically keep large numbers of roosters, breeding hens and chicks in unsanitary, crowded, inhumane conditions. Dying
and dead roosters are discarded, creating a filthy environment.
Because cockfighting in California is merely a misdemeanor and not a felony, outsiders flock to our communities to stage these illegal
activities. Is our county becoming a mecca for cockfighting? On the grounds of human, animal, community, and environmental welfare, the Board
of Supervisors should, without hesitation, pass the ordinance. – Ronnie Steinau
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For more information on cockfighting including our two previous alerts in support of this ordinance, go to www.upc-online.org/cockfighting.
