Orderlies have rescued 21 fighting roosters in recent weeks. These are crossbred Japanese Shamo roosters, which are gruesomely trained and bred for fights to the death. This was reported by Flemish animal welfare minister Ben Weyts (N-VA) on Saturday.
The 21 roosters were seized on two different occasions. During a BOB check in Bilzen-Hoeselt, two Shamo roosters and various supplies for cockfighting were found in a car. In it were also fighting equipment, a leather harness, antibiotics to further boost the animals' performance, and a considerable sum of money. One of the animals was extremely skinny, the other had serious injuries. Moreover, the accused had previously been convicted of offences related to cockfighting.
Nineteen Shamo roosters, seven hens and 15 chicks could be rescued from a residence in Genk. Those animals were also prepared there for fights. One of the roosters had a hood over its beak, tubes around its spurs and taped nails. Another animal was already showing a great urge to attack. All the animals were seized and taken care of. The Living Heritage Support Centre was also able to place half of those roosters by now.
On Saturday, Weyts visited the 12 roosters currently at the Bird and Mammal Sanctuary in Heusden-Zolder. These 12 roosters could not yet be adopted because they are totally miscultured. During his visit, Weyts promised to urge the French authorities to ban cockfighting. Especially in northern France, such fights are still allowed.
‘People call it a cultural tradition or folklore, but it is animal suffering,’ Minister Weyts said during his visit. "In Flanders, too, we have said goodbye to many outdated practices that simply cannot be justified anymore. Think of unanaesthetised slaughter, cock slaughter, block tails of horses, mink farming purely for the sake of fur, drinking fish, throwing cats off towers."
