Authorities found thousands of roosters and hundreds of livestock at a property near Chatsworth after serving a warrant in an illegal cockfighting investigation, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said Monday.
Deputies that morning searched the multi-acre property just north of the 118 Freeway in an unincorporated area of Chatsworth, the Sheriff’s Department said. They reported finding several hundred farm animals and 2,000 to 3,000 roosters.
The Department of Animal Care and Control planned to inspect all of the animals and document them, the Sheriff’s Department said.
The two agencies are working with the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office in the probe, which is looking into possible animal cruelty violations in addition to possession of game fowl for fighting purposes.
The Sheriff’s Department said “several occupiers” of the site were detained.
The case remains under investigation and officials urged anyone with information to email Community Partnerships Bureau Sgt. Robert Hill at rchill@lasd.org. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), using the “P3 Tips” mobile app or visiting lacrimestoppers.org.
Anyone who suspects criminal animal fighting can also contact the Humane Society, the Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty Los Angeles, the DA’s office or the Department of Animal Care and Control, the Sheriff’s Department said.