500 roosters bred for cockfighting recovered in Thurston County

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office says 500 roosters bred and raised for cockfighting were found on a property this week in Yelm.

On Thursday, investigators and animal service agencies found the animals while serving a search warrant on a property.

Deputies say numerous other neglected livestock animals were found on the property and taken into protective care.

Joint Animal Services, Regional Animal Services of King County, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department – Animal Control, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Hooved Animal Rescue of Thurston County, Save A Forgotten Equine – SAFE, Center Valley Animal Rescue and Edmonds Police Department – Animal Control all helped with the investigation.

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Other recent cockfighting busts in WA

Buckley

In April 2024, Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputies rescued hundreds of birds – more than 140 of them roosters – from a raid in Buckley. Video shows evidence that the birds were likely being groomed for cockfighting.

Eastern Washington

In August 2024, a bust was made in Eastern Washington. Heartwood Haven, a Pierce County Animal Sanctuary, took about 40 of the birds in. The birds were rescued after the major bust of a cockfighting and drug distribution ring run by La Nuestra Familia, a violent prison gang. Operations were centered in Yakima and Spokane counties, but extended into Louisiana, Colorado and Arkansas.

In May of 2024, Dozens of roosters set to be delivered to a farm animal sanctuary in Pierce County were allegedly shot and killed by Yakima County Sheriff’s deputies and Animal Control after they were seized from a cockfighting ring in the area.

Is Washington State seeing a spike in cockfighting rings? KIRO 7′s Brandon Thompson is digging into the bigger trend we are seeing and will have a full report at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.