In the province of Alicante, the Policía Nacional has arrested a 40-year-old man on charges of animal cruelty after discovering 19 fighting cocks kept at his home, despite a previous court conviction that expressly banned him from owning animals.
Spa.in Press
According to police sources, all the birds showed amputations of the comb and wattles, a hallmark of illegal cockfighting intended to reduce bleeding and prolong fights. Several animals also had the feathers on their thighs shaved, a technique used to improve thermoregulation during combat.
During the house search, officers seized a range of specialised equipment used to prepare the birds, including files and scissors to sharpen claws and spurs, artificial spurs and hardening varnishes. They also found vitamin supplements and injectable substances allegedly used to boost stamina and aggression — all without any veterinary supervision, which further aggravates the offence.
The operation additionally led to the seizure of marijuana in various forms and cocaine packaged for sale, widening the criminal scope of the investigation.
The case originated from a report by the Policía Local de Crevillent, which alerted authorities to the suspect’s reoffending. The arrest is directly linked to an earlier incident in 2021, when the man was identified during an illegal cockfight at a sports facility in Crevillent. That case concluded in 2024 with a conviction handed down by a court in Elche, including a formal ban on animal ownership.
The confiscated birds were transferred to the Animal Welfare Department of the Crevillent City Council, where veterinarians are assessing their condition and documenting injuries. The suspect has been brought before the investigating courts.
This is not an isolated incident but a clear case of repeat offending, highlighting a structural problem in which animal abuse, illegal fighting networks and drug-related crime frequently intersect. Authorities in the Valencian Community view this as a priority area for enforcement, with growing efforts to dismantle such operations.
