INDIANAPOLIS -- More than 200 birds were found in a house Friday morning in a cockfighting bust on Indianapolis' southeast side.
The investigation at a house in the 1700 block of Gimber Street has been going on for several months. One man was taken into custody for felony charges, said Jennifer Reske, the deputy director of the Indiana Gaming Commission.
The Indiana Gaming Commission worked with the ASPCA to help rescue the 219 birds found in the house. A temporary shelter was established by the Indianapolis Animal Care Services.
Many of them were surgically altered with daggers or knives. Investigators said the some of the bird's combs and wattles were removed. Cockfighting paraphernalia, including gaffs used to maximize injury during fights and supplements to enhance their performance, were also discovered.
“This investigation further demonstrates the cruel and inhumane practice of cockfighting,” said Kathryn Destreza, director of investigations for ASPCA Field Investigations and Response. “No animal should be forced to fight to their death. The ASPCA is proud to be on the front line of tackling organized animal fighting in America and commends the Indiana Gaming Commission for their commitment to bringing this brutal sport to an end.”
Destreza said the birds ranged in age from young to adult.
During cock fights, birds commonly suffer from injuries including punctured lungs, broken bones and pierced eyes. They are also often given steroids or other drugs to make them more aggressive.
Reske said this is a "relatively large animal fighting operation." The Indiana Gaming Commission was involved because people typically bet on the winner. Authorities don't believe the fighting was done inside the house, but the suspect was raising and preparing the birds to fight.
There were five people in the house at the time of the bust -- three of them children. This is the first bust of its kind in a residential area, Reske said.
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