Tennessee has long been identified as a key destination in what the Humane Society of the United States calls the “cockfighting corridor,†which includes Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky.
Cockfighting is a disgusting blood sport in which two roosters specifically bred for aggression are placed in a small ring with long, dagger-like knives attached to their legs to fight to the death.
According to the ASPCA, “Just before a fight, most of the bird’s feathers are plucked and the breeder cuts off the animal’s wattles, the combs below the beak, so that its opponent cannot tear them off.â€
Although illegal in all 50 states, cockfighting still persists, and Tennessee is one of only eight states without felony-level penalties.
State Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, has for years fought against cockfighting and for the past four years has focused on making it a felony. Under current state law, it is a misdemeanor. Lundberg’s latest bill would have made cockfighting a Class E felony, the same penalty that applied before lawmakers changed the law more than two decades ago.
It would have established a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for a cockfight attended by spectators. It would make it a felony to own, possess or train any bird for the purpose of cockfighting, causing for amusement, sport or personal gain a cock to fight or injure another animal, or permitting any of the aforementioned.
It’s difficult to imagine why anyone would be opposed to such legislation, but every single year Sen. Lundberg tries again, only to be foiled. In recent years similar cockfighting bills sponsored by Lundberg have stalled in the state House Agriculture Committee. Lundberg had hoped the outcome would be different in this legislative session because his bill was slated to be heard by the state House Judiciary Committee.
But that committee voted 5-3 to move the legislation to a “study committee,†which leaves it in limbo. So long as lawmakers are allowed to get away with opposing Lundberg’s efforts to rid the state of this barbaric practice, it is unlikely Lundberg will be successful.
We need to start holding lawmakers accountable. The five members of the state House Criminal Justice Subcommittee who voted to support cockfighting by sending Lundberg’s bill to a study committee that will never study it, are:
— Rep. Michael Curcio of Dickson, who represents Dickson, Hickman and part of Maury counties: rep.michael.curcio@capitol.tn.gov
— Rep. Clay Doggett of Pulaski, who represents Giles and part of Lawrence counties: rep.clay.doggett@capitol.tn.gov
— Rep. Andrew Farmer of Sevierville, who represents part of Jefferson and Sevier counties: rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov
— Rep. Dan Howell of Cleveland, who represents Meigs, Polk and part of Bradley counties: rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov
— Rep. Jerry Sexton of Bean Station, who represents Claiborne, Grainger and part of Union counties: rep.jerry.sexton@capitol.tn.gov
Please take time to send them a short message to the effect that you oppose their support of cockfighting in Tennessee.
Help rid Tennessee of cockfighting. Being part of that cockfighting corridor is not a favored distinction.
