Cockfighting is illegal across the UK and most of the developed world but continues illegally, causing severe welfare harm through deliberate injury, blood loss, and fighting to death or serious injury.
Cockfighting causes severe and deliberate welfare suffering. Metal spurs attached to birds' legs transform natural territorial sparring into lethal combat, causing deep lacerations, organ damage, and slow death from blood loss. Birds bred for fighting are kept in isolation, denying social behaviour. They may be drugged to enhance aggression. Winners may die from their injuries after a fight. The social context of illegal cockfighting includes organised crime and significant financial gambling, making enforcement challenging. Welfare penalties for convicted cockfighting offenders should include lifetime bans on keeping poultry to prevent repeat offending.