BABBIE, Ala., Jan. 28 (UPI) -- A Covington County, Ala., cockfighting ring was dismantled with the arrest of six people, charged with aggravated animal cruelty, authorities said.
The county sheriff's department and district attorney's office, the state Alcohol Beverage Control Board and the Humane Society of the United States were all involved in a raid Sunday in the town of Babbie, the Alabama news website al.com reported Tuesday.
The six arrested, whose ages ranged from 24 to 84, were found in possession of nine fighting birds. Small knives were tied to each birds' legs.
Three of the birds were dead when investigators arrived and a fourth was immediately euthanized due to severe injury, John Goodwin, Humane Society director of animal cruelty policy, said.
The remaining five birds were rescued, he added.
Timothy A. Nevels, Bobby Joe Stanton, Brandon L. Worley, Faye S. Jowers, Arnold R. Treadway, Eric T. Shaddix, Ryan C. Copeland, Levi M. Taylor and Rickie D. Tillis were arrested, jail records indicate.
Jowers was charged with two counts of maintaining a cockfighting pit and Taylor and Tillis were charged with marijuana possession. The others were charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
