Peninsula Cockfighting Operation Busted: Humane Society

EAST PALO ALTO, CA — Dozens of chickens were surrendered to the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA after an illegal cockfighting operation was discovered in East Palo Alto, officials report.

The Peninsula Humane Society says they responded to a location in town on March 23 after getting word that the operation may exist. Meanwhile, police were dispatched at 3:50 p.m. on to the 1200 block of Cypress Street after a neighbor called to report an aggressive dog in the neighborhood. The dog was determined not to be aggressive toward people, but was trying to attack roosters and hens in the rear yard.

"When we arrived on scene, it was clear dozens of roosters had been modified and trained for fighting," PHS/SPCA Lead Humane Investigator Christina Hanley said in a press release. "Most of the roosters had been ‘dubbed’, a very painful process in which their comb, wattles are earlobes are cut off. This type of modification of roosters is consistent with cockfighting. Many of the birds still had open and bleeding wounds from the dubbing process."

Hanley added that officials also discovered "paraphernalia" for cockfighting.

A total of 56 chickens were surrender to the animal officials — all of which were humanely euthanized due to their cockfighting injuries, according to PHS/SPCA. What's more, they were too aggressive to be adopted out.

"Many of the birds were suffering from wounds three to four weeks old," the PHS/SPCA said.

The person who was allegedly running the cockfighting was arrested on charges of animal cruelty, cockfighting and possession of cockfighting materials, the PHS/SPCA said.

East Palo Alto police have since identified Aldenni de Jesus Trujillo Santiago as the suspect arrested in connection with the operation.

"Cockfighting is not only illegal, it is animal abuse," said Hanley.

Two illegal outbuildings, illegal wiring, and a potentially illegal addition to the house were also discovered at the residence, police said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Putu Sayoga / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images