OKC Animal Welfare Looks For New Home For Chickens Seized In Possible Cockfighting Operation

A city bird bill has taken flight at Oklahoma City's Animal Welfare. For nearly two weeks, the city has been caring for hundreds of chickens, police believe, were used in a cockfighting operation. The 150 roosters and 135 hens were seized January 23. Offi

Tuesday, February 5th 2019, 4:58 pm

By: Karl Torp

OKC Animal Welfare Looks For New Home For Chickens Seized In Possible Cockfighting Operation

A city bird bill has taken flight at Oklahoma City's Animal Welfare.

For nearly two weeks, the city has been caring for hundreds of chickens, police believe, were used in a cockfighting operation.

The 150 roosters and 135 hens were seized January 23.

Officers responded to a home near Northeast 36^th Street and Anderson Road to serve an arrest warrant for an individual. Soon, two others at the home were cuffed, and the birds were caged.

OKC Animal Welfare's Jon Gary says workers assembled dog crates to house the birds inside an area livestock are usually kept. Make-shift barriers have been placed in between the kennels.

“The roosters will fight as soon as they see each other,” says Gary.

The weekly bird bill is more than $6,500 or $23 per bird, per day.

“We don't have the proper housing for these birds,” admits Gary.

OKC Animal Welfare is going through the legal process of taking ownership on the birds. If that happens, the hens will likely be put up for adoption.

The roosters will not be adopted out.

“We will work with groups outside the state that specialize with these types of birds,” says Gary about the roosters.

The roosters that can’t be picked up by outside groups, will be euthanized, according to OKC Animal Welfare.

Karl Torp

Karl Torp is an award-winning journalist who’s been part of the News 9 team since 2012. He co-anchors the 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on weekdays. Karl loves telling Oklahoma’s unique stories, and he’s also a huge sports junkie. He loves to think of trades that would help the Oklahoma City Thunder win a World Championship (despite knowing little to nothing about salary caps and luxury taxes).

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