St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith advises residents of the Virgin Islands that the Agricultural Improvement Act (P.L. 115-334), which has been in effect since December 20, 2019, prohibits animal fighting in the United States, including its Territories.
U.S. Attorney Smith reminds cockfighting promoters that animal fighting is a felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. Since 2002, federal law has prohibited any shipment of fighting birds to the Territory from the mainland United States. Smith further notes that “federal law prohibits a wide range of activities associated with animal fighting ventures, including knowingly sponsoring, exhibiting, or attending these events.” An animal fighting venture is one that involves a fight conducted or to be conducted between at least two animals for purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment. The law further prohibits the selling, buying, training, transporting, shipping, delivering or receiving of animals for fighting, and the trafficking in knives or gaffs used on birds.
Despite federal law prohibiting animal fighting, law enforcement agencies in our community continue to receive recent reports that cockfighting matches are ongoing. U.S. Attorney Smith noted that animal fighting prosecutions in the United States often have a close correlation to other criminal activities, including violent crime, firearms offenses and mail fraud. “Cockfighting is illegal and potentially dangerous. We must therefore continue our commitment to keeping our community safe”, U.S. Attorney Smith said.
To report information about cockfighting or other animal fighting crimes, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigations at (787) 754-6000, or the United Stated Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, hotline at (800) 424-9121 or at https://www.usda.gov/oig/hotline.htm.
