The Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association is determined to put a stop to the disturbing animal fights and the activities of the connected crime rings behind them.
“Not a Standalone Crime”
The association, which represents sheriffs in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, US, spread across the Commonwealth, has asked Pennsylvania’s Congress to stand for a series of bipartisan measures in an open letter.
As detailed in the letter, the association endorsed the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act (H.R. 1477), as well as the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act (H.R. 3946/S. 1454), and the No Flight, No Fight Act (H.R. 7371).
The association’s president, James E. Ott, who is also the sheriff of Blair County, summed up the content of their letter bluntly: “Organized animal fighting is not a standalone crime,” speaking about the repeated investigations of law enforcement officers who revealed “connections to illegal gambling, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, illegal firearms, and other forms of organized criminal activity.”
The three bills, therefore, offer “practical tools” aimed at assisting law enforcement agencies with dismantling criminal networks and improving public safety, Ott added.
Fayette County Sheriff James Custer reiterated that “animal fighting is always linked to illegal gambling, drug trafficking, or other criminal activity,” arguing that Congress should allow the measures to pass to “give law enforcement the tools we need to better combat these dangerous enterprises” while protecting local communities.
As a reminder, in May, the US House approved The Greyhound Protection Act of 2025 and added it to the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, potentially making greyhound racing illegal across the United States.
The Chester Case
The sheriffs used the example of a cockfighting raid in Chester, Pennsylvania, this May.
The raid ended in 25 arrests, the recovery of over 50 birds, and cash seizures, while revealing proof of an organized cockfighting operation that had been operating from a warehouse.
The investigation, possible with combined efforts from the state police, the Chester City Police Department, the Pennsylvania SPCA, and regional tactical response teams, once again showed that organized animal fighting remains an ongoing threat to public safety throughout Pennsylvania and across the nation.
What Would the Three Acts Establish?
The first act, ACE, would set up a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes section within the US Department of Justice, used to improve the enforcement of federal laws on animal cruelty and animal fighting.
The second act, FIGHT, would allow federal enforcement agencies to better target gambling frequently tied to animal fights, while extending criminal forfeiture authority and offering more mechanisms to put an end to criminal enterprises.
The third act, No Flight, No Fight, would no longer allow for roosters used in fights to be shipped through the US mail, stopping traffickers from moving fighting animals both at a nationwide and global level.
Animal Wellness Action president Wayne Pacelle: “The endorsement of these measures by sheriffs representing every county in Pennsylvania sends a powerful message that Congress should provide law enforcement with the tools needed to combat these criminal enterprises.”
The three bills have already been endorsed by the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National District Attorneys Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, and a number of organizations and associations representing sheriffs, prosecutors and leaders of law enforcement agencies.