LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Louisville Police arrested two men on Thursday after finding evidence that they were fighting cocks. Officers seized four roosters, four hens and six chickens.

“Kentucky is known as one of the premier cockfighting states,” said Joseph Grove, senior director of communications for Animal Wellness Action. “It’s big in Kentucky and several southern states.”

Grove said he was not surprised by Thursday’s arrest. His organization advocates for the prevention of animal cruelty and promotes the adoption and enforcement of good public policies.

LMPD arrested Joel Garcia and Raul Alsina at a home on Sun Valley Drive. Reports of the arrest say they had videos of the men making and watching the roosters fight. The police found them because of an anonymous tip.

“A lot of times you see the activity happening at a neighbor’s or even a relative’s house,” Grove said. “So having the ability to report crimes anonymously is important to the reporter and the animal.”

In this case, the police rescued four roosters, four hens and six chicks. Some of the birds had open wounds.

Grove said he wasn’t surprised by the condition of the animals and more by what the officers didn’t find.

“Some of the training tools that the officers found are very common,” Grove said. “What I didn’t read was found were data. When roosters fight, they are equipped with razor blades on their legs to inflict maximum damage on their opponents, making it a true blood sport.”

Grove would like to see criminals face harsher penalties and be charged with crimes. Garcia and Alsina are charged with four counts of animal cruelty, which are misdemeanors.

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