BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana’s ban on cockfighting will mirror similar laws that prohibit dogfighting in the state.
Gov. Bobby Jindal has signed a bill by New Orleans Sen. J.P. Morrell, a Democrat. It becomes law Aug. 1, closing loopholes that existed in the 2008 law that prohibits cockfighting.
The measure broadens the definition of “chicken” in the current law to include roosters, game fowl and other birds.
It also criminalizes the possession, manufacturing, buying and selling of spurs, gaffs and knives if there is evidence the paraphernalia is being used to fight chickens. And it toughens the penalties for anyone convicted of cockfighting.
Louisiana was the last state to make the rooster fights illegal.
Jindal’s office announced the bill signing this weekend.
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Senate Bill 523 can be found at www.legis.la.gov
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