Cockfight in Toledo leads to arrests of 12 area men

Photo courtesy PETA Files

…Cockfighting is a centuries-old [blood] sport in which two or more specially bred birds, or gamecocks, are placed in an enclosed pit to fight, according to information on the Humane Society of the United States site…

…Ohio is one of only a handful of states where cockfighting is considered a misdemeanor, Mr. [John] Dinon [executive director of the Toledo-Area Humane Society] said. He added that there is a bill up for consideration in the Ohio legislature that would make the crime a felony.

House Bill 260 would charge a first-time offender with a fifth-degree felony…more

Animal shelter inspections not required in Ohio

Local officials said the recent removal of more than 650 dogs and cats from rescue shelters in Huber Heights, Bethel Twp. and Piqua because of poor living conditions and neglect highlight a loophole in Ohio law that does not require shelters to be inspected.

Animal advocates and officials said that even shelter operators with the best intentions can accept too many animals and become overwhelmed, which can result in the animals suffering serious neglect.

“Other states have some

stringent inspection requirements,”

said Mark Kumpf, director of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.

“We don’t have those here in Ohio.”

In another neglect case, a few of the 50 exotic birds found at a home in Troy are being cared for on the property by the Miami County Humane Society. Officials said charges could result from their ongoing investigation…more

Humane office is rehabilitating more than 60 exotic birds found in home

Kim Seitz of Troy, an officer with the Miami Valley Bird Club, said the club is providing food to Karns for the birds…more

Nearly 100 live, dead birds inside Troy home

“I was horrified by what I saw,”

said veterinary technician Jim Tinnell, who claims he convinced Ratcliff to let him remove 10 birds from the home that could be saved.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in
my 40 years of caring for animals”
…more