A backlash from cockfighters and their supporters could derail efforts to pass a strong, anti-cockfighting ordinance in San Diego County. We
can’t let San Diego County become a mecca for cockfighting. Your calls and emails are needed!
Last month the San Diego Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to pass an ordinance that would limit the number of roosters one could own to
between 2 and 20, depending on the size of your property. (Commercial poultry operations, 4H and Future Farmers of America projects are
exempted.) The ordinance would also prohibit tethering roosters, which is the way most cockfighting operations confine their birds.
The ordinance must be voted on again on September 13th.
Leading the charge to scuttle progress is Kenny Troiano and his friend Rachel Bowman. Troiano claims to be a show bird enthusiast and denies
that he is a cockfighter. Here are some excerpts from a book he wrote about breeding fighting roosters. You can decide for yourself if he is a
cockfighter.
“At the same time, it would be unwise to sacrifice fighting ability and gameness just to satisfy a preference for color.”
–Page 34
“Gameness is the most important characteristic, for without it nothing else matters. You can’t have gamefowl that are too game,
and no family of fowl ever made it to the top, especially in the gaff, that was not very game. There is no reason why you should start out
with a family of fowl that are not game to the core, in any weapon!” –Page 36
“I didn’t realize that the five cocks on my farm were great until they had already won a number of fights each. By this time, I
had already sold or culled most of their sisters.” –Page 40
Please don’t let the cockfighters and their allies succeed in scuttling these protections for roosters. Please contact the following
supervisors by phone, email, fax or letter and ask them to support the proposed rooster ordinance targeted to deter cockfighting.
Supervisor Ron Roberts
(619) 531-5544
(619) 531-6262 fax
ron-roberts@sdcounty.ca.gov
Supervisor Greg Cox
(619) 531-5511
(619) 235-0844 fax
greg.cox@sdcounty.ca.gov
Supervisor Bill Horn
(619) 531-5555
bill.horn@sdcounty.ca.gov
Supervisor Dianne Jacob
(619) 531-5522
(619) 696-7253 fax
dianne.jacob@sdcounty.ca.gov
Supervisor Pam Slater Price
(619) 531-5533
(619) 234-1559 fax
pam.slater@sdcounty.ca.gov
Sample Letter:
Dear Supervisor XXXX
I am writing in support of the County’s proposed rooster ordinance. Cockfighting is fairly prevalent in San Diego County as well as in California
as a whole. Although it is impossible to please everyone and impossible to stop all cockfighting in our County, I feel this approach is fair and
reasonable. Cockfighters are known to ally themselves with legitimate hobbyists making it very difficult to affect one without affecting the other.
The ordinance is clear in its intent to target cockfighting while also reducing the noise caused by roosters kept by
cockfighters. Please don’t be duped by those who actively oppose this ordinance and hide behind terms like “rescue,” “hobbyists,” “breeders,” etc.
Thank you for your consideration.
Letters should be individually written and sent to:
Supervisor Ron Roberts
Supervisor Greg Cox
Supervisor Dianne Jacob
Supervisor Pam Slater-Price
Supervisor Bill Horn
The mailing address is
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors
County AdministrationBuilding
1600 Pacific Hwy
Room 335
San Diego CA 92101