'Suffering' Cockerels, hens and dogs seized in Lancashire illegal fighting probe

Police and RSPCA officers seized cockerels, hens and dogs from homes in Lancashire as they investigated criminal gangs involved in illegal cock fighting. A court heard some of the animals were suffering and had injuries “consistent with fighting” when they were examined by a vet at the properties in Accrington - and Bradford.

Kirklees Magistrates Court was told how the discovery was made during an investigation by the RSPCA’s special operations unit in conjunction with police forces across the UK. Details of the animals’ suffering were outlined in an application to the court to transfer their ownership to the charity.

Philip Brown, representing the RSPCA, said: “Regrettably, I’m afraid, there is a significant commercial incentive for criminal gangs to become involved in this type of activity because it generates revenue from betting. Fights are organised up and down the country through a very sophisticated mechanism of contacts, usually using social media platforms to advertise the fact that these fights are taking place.”

The court heard that intelligence was gathered after mobile phones were seized during the joint operation. Mr Brown said warrants were executed at the homes of Daniel Burns in Bradford and Sadir Hussian, in Accrington, Lancashire.

Officers went to Burns’ home on Kingfisher Grove, Bradford, and found a cockerel and three hens in a rear garden.

A vet examined the birds and found one of the hens, which later died, was “clearly lethargic” with a swollen face and the cockerel had leg injuries.

Phone footage was obtained which showed cockerels being put together to fight in the garden on at least two occasions last year.

The birds were then seized and taken into the care of the RSPCA.

Burns was arrested and admitted owning them but denied they had been involved in cock fighting.

Mr Brown said: “He was then shown the video footage, which showed him in those videos effectively controlling a fight between two cockerels.”

Burns then told officers that the birds were “just sparring.”

The solicitor said: “He said if they sparred together and had shown they were adept at fighting he would get a better price for them when he went on to sell them.”

Mr Burns said the birds would be re-homed once ownership was transferred to the RSPCA.

He added: “The cockerel is now, to all intents and purposes, a healthy animal and capable of re-homing.”

Magistrates were told officers from Greater Manchester Police carried out a search of Hussain’s home on Empress Street, Accrington, as well as a nearby allotment which belonged to him.

Two “bull breed” type dogs, six cockerels and hens were recovered from the allotment.

The solicitor said: “Each of those animals was, according to the vet, kept in sub-optimal conditions because there was no access to food or water.

“There was no form of enrichment for the animals. Some of them were kept in very dark and small crates which were not consistent with the size or aggression of the birds.” Two of the hens had injuries “consistent with bullying behaviour.”

Mr Brown said: “Within a group of hens, common sense dictates that if resources are sparse, then there is competition for resources and the larger birds will seek to dominate the smaller birds.In doing so they inflict injuries on the weaker birds.

“Those injuries were obvious to the vet. They should have been obvious to a competent humane owner. The vet concluded that those animals were in a suffering condition.”

Two of the cockerels had extensive bruising to the head, neck, chest and legs. The court heard one of the dogs, a puppy, had wounds and scars to its body which had caused it to suffer.

Mr Brown said the ears of the other adult dog had been illegally “cropped” and had scaring to its face which “suggested that the animal had been involved in some form of illegal activity.”

Both dogs were examined and found to be of an illegal breed and considered dangerous.

Mr Brown told the court: “Unfortunately, following the order today, the RSPCA will have no option but to seek the authority of the police to euthanise both animals.

“While it is clearly very unfortunate, humane euthanasia is still a far better outcome for these animals than the alternative which was made available to them by their owner.”

Neither defendant attended the hearing and magistrates agreed to grant ownership of all animals in the case to the RSPCA.