Animal activists argue over anti-cockfighting law

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Animal Advocates of Oklahoma Animal welfare action It is The Center for a Humane Economy issued a press release Monday addressing the lack of influence in the latest legislative attempt to repeal Oklahoma’s voter-approved anti-cockfighting law.

Nonprofits say the anti-cockfighting law crashed and burned at the state Capitol in 2024, with the 59th legislative session officially ending last week.

Animal activist groups defend a pro-cockfighting bill, House Bill 3136by Rep. Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh, failed to even get a hearing in the House.

Two bills to decriminalize cockfighting carried over from last year were stalled. According to animal activist organizations, the Senate paid no attention to either of the two House Bill 2530by Representative JJ Humphrey, or Senate Bill 1006by Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle.

“Oklahoma lawmakers were right to overlook cockfighters this year at the state Capitol,” said Kevin Chambers, state director of Animal Wellness Action of Oklahoma. “Lawmakers haven’t even had a hearing on any of their cockfighting decriminalization bills.”

“Oklahomans want cockfighting to be illegal, they want criminal penalties for this cruelty, and they want the law to be actively enforced in every county,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, which helped lead the opposition. to legislation. “Decriminalizing cockfighting was a colossally unpopular and misguided idea.”

According to a Sooner poll released in late March 2023, animal activist leaders say 87% of Oklahomans favor banning cockfighting.

“Even in the Southeast (86%) and Southwest (80%) we have large majorities who want cockfighting to be illegal. In each of Oklahoma’s five congressional districts, at least 83% want cockfighting to be illegal and in no case does support for legality exceed 12%,” said Pat McFerron, president of Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates and architect of Sooner Survey. .

Both nonprofits said at a news conference that the state’s most outspoken cockfighting enthusiast, Anthony DeVore, took to TikTok to call out Carter County Sheriff Chris Bryant for enforcing animal cruelty laws, illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

“Cockfighters are involved in a wide range of crimes and are now targeting law enforcement,” said Col. Tom Pool, senior veterinarian at Animal Wellness Action. “All Oklahomans concerned about the rule of law and crime in our communities should support our courageous sheriffs and prosecutors who work to make our communities safer.” Pool is a Comanche County rancher and former head of the U.S. Army Veterinary Command.

Non-profit animal activists also presented Oklahoma State Representative JJ Humphrey issuing a video welcome to attendees of an annual meeting of the World Cockfighting Breeders Association.

“I appreciate everything you are doing around the world to save this industry,” Humphrey says in the video. “You have big farms; you have buildings and industries…. Many places, states, other countries have coliseums and all sorts of things dedicated to showing or fighting chickens. And once again, we are proud to join you in trying to protect your investment.”

Oklahoma State Representative JJ Humphrey welcomes video comments from participants at an annual meeting of the World Cockfighting Breeders Association

Animal activists say it is a state and federal crime to possess fighting birds, and it is a federal crime to transport fighting birds across state or national borders.

Animal Advocates of Oklahoma Animal welfare action It is The Center for a Humane Economy both agree that state legislators have completed their work for the year, and anti-cockfighting laws remain fully intact while cockfighters pivot and target sheriffs who enforce anti-cruelty laws.