Owner Relinquishes Birds Prior to Deportation
TUESDAY, Nov. 25, 2014 – Riverside County Animal Services officers discovered a large collection of illegal cockfighting roosters near Desert Hot Springs today.
All told, six animal control officers were at the property several hours and humanely euthanized 152 birds.
Animal Services officers worked in partnership with U.S. Border Protection agents because two residents at the Virgo Road property were believed to be living in the country illegally.
Authorities were first contacted to investigate the property because someone was suspected of shooting rounds from a firearm from or near that property. Virgo Road is in unincorporated Riverside County, east of Desert Hot Springs and north of Thousand Palms. The property is near a rural pocket of the county that borders a southwestern section of Joshua Tree National Park.
A man who said he was the owner of the birds ultimately relinquished them to the officers. The man was later detained and deported by Border Patrol agents.
The owner of the birds described them as "fighting roosters." Riverside County Animal Services does not adopt cockfighting roosters to prospective adopters because the birds are worth hundreds of dollars and would likely be sold for the illegal fights.
Lt. Luis Rosa of Riverside County Animal Services was one of the responding officers to the Virgo Road property. Lt. Rosa reminded residents to contact the department if there is a suspicion birds are being housed for illegal cockfights or if a cockfight event is happening in their neighborhood.
