Kentucky, Hawaii said to be biggest sources of game cocks trafficked to PH

A game cock farm that allegedly traffics fighting cocks to the Philippines and Guam. SCREENSHOT

HONOLULU — Hawaii and Kentucky are the leading exporters of cockfighting birds to the Philippines, an animal rights group charged.

The group Animal Wellness Action (AWA) released video from a broadcasting network based in the Philippines called BNTV, which revealed several locations in Hawaii where game birds are bred.

Animal Wellness Action (AWA) alleges that 7 individuals in Kentucky are the biggest exporters of game cocks to countries including the Philippines, Mexico and Honduras. The group said the birds could be sold up to $2,000 to $3,000 each

The AWA also requested public records from the Guam Department of Agriculture and found that between 2017 and 2019  some 750 shipments of birds were made by 71 individuals from several states to Guam and revealed that Hawaii had more shippers of fighting birds than any other state, according to Hawaii News Now.

An AWA official alleged the shipments are routinely misrepresented “because it’s not illegal to ship roosters or chickens in general, (but) it is illegal to possess and ship birds for fighting purposes.”

AWA is asking for tougher laws and enforcement against cockfighting.