Jul 21, 2008 11:00 pm US/Central
30 Birds Rescued From Alleged Cockfighting Ring
EAST BETHEL, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Photographs taken by investigators show evidence of a cockfighting ring that may have been going on for years in East Bethel.
Animal Humane Society
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Cher Kong, 35, faces a felony animal cruelty charge.
Anoka County Sheriff's Office
A Minnesota man has been charged for allegedly operating a cockfighting ring and 30 fowl are now being taken care of by the Animal Humane Society.
Officers say they uncovered more than two dozen bloody roosters and clues pointing to a cockfighting ring.
Photographs taken by investigators show evidence of a cockfighting ring that may have been going on for years in East Bethel. The pictures alone show a lot, but seeing one of the survivors up close puts in perspective just how elaborate this operation was.
"It's a rare find from an investigations perspective. Probably one of the most sophisticated operations that I've seen in 20 plus years of doing it," said Investigator Keith Streff of the Animal Humane Society.
Investigators said an anonymous phone call led them to a secluded part of East Bethel early Friday morning. According to the criminal complaint, the homeowner let them in. Once inside, Anoka County deputies found more than two dozen Taiwanese fighting birds and a number of spectators watching them fight.
Authorities returned with a warrant on Monday morning and rescued 29 fighting birds and a peacock. They also found razors, gaffs and spears, and makeshift sewing kits. They even found performance-enhancing supplements.
"Most of the stuff is for human consumption. They just grind it up into a powder form and add it into the chick feed-type formula to take that all in," said Streff.
Investigators took the homeowner, 35-year-old Cher Kong, into custody. He faces a felony animal cruelty charge. Neighbors said they can't believe this was happening in their own backyard.
"I probably live five houses away and we hear the birds crowing all the time. But I would have never thought this was going on," said neighbor Lisa Moore.
Thirty birds investigators first spotted at the home last week are now missing. The survivors they recovered will be examined by veterinarians on Tuesday at the Golden Valley Humane Society. Most of the birds are expected to survive.
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