House of Delegates representative Don Perdue is taking off his political hat and putting on a cock's comb, at least temporarily.

Perdue, D-Wayne, is now the acting president of the United Gamefowl Breeders Association, filling in until August when a new president is elected. The association is made up of gamefowl breeders nationwide and cockfighters in the few states where that practice is legal.

Perdue, who raises gamefowl and was cited by law enforcement officials in 1991 for attending a cockfight, has been a delegate since 1998 in a state where cockfighting is illegal.

Now, for the time being, he's also the president of the United Gamefowl Breeders Association.

The group's administrative director said Perdue may be the only state representative who's also held the organization's presidential position, but he's not new to the job.

He also was president about 15 years ago.

Earlier this year, the association's president resigned because of personal reasons, and a new person was needed to fill in. The president oversees the board of directors and helps with lobbying efforts in Washington.

"These are good friends of mine and they asked me for my help," Perdue said. "I had a good working knowledge of the organization."

Perdue continues to serve as a delegate. Now that the legislative session is over he has more time to focus on gamefowl association activities.

"He wouldn't have taken this job if it interferes with his job as a delegate," said Sandy Johnson, the association's administrative director.

Cockfighting and dog fighting legislation popped up during this year's legislative session, but the bill was amended to take out any further restrictions on cockfighting. The bill's sponsor thought the cockfighting restrictions wouldn't pass because of more broad support for that practice than dog fighting.

Although Perdue will only hold the presidential position until August, he's got a lot of work to do.

One of the major areas of concerns for cockfighters and gamefowl breeders is Exotic Newcastle disease, an infectious poultry disease that's killing thousands of animals in California and Arizona.

The spread of the disease has prompted legislation that stops the transportation of fighting roosters, a law Perdue says will harm people who breed gamefowl for show or pets.

"There are a lot of people who raise them and don't fight them," Perdue said. "These folks are at severe risk."

Perdue and the United Gamefowl Breeders Association are trying to find alternative ways to stop the spread of the disease.

As president of the association, which has some members who fight roosters, Perdue is butting heads with the Humane Society of the United States, which is pushing for an end to cockfighting.

He'll also be trying to change the image of gamefowl breeders, although he acknowledges that's an uphill challenge.

"The Humane Society thinks that everybody who owns a gamefowl is a moral derelict," Perdue said. "Not everybody who has gamefowl competes with them illegally. The perception is that fanciers of gamefowl are just bad people."

Perdue has raised gamefowl since he was a child, although he said he does not fight his roosters.

"Where I grew up there were no baseball fields or basketball courts," Perdue said. "But my father did hand me a game rooster when I was 10."

Perdue and his father raised gamefowl for years, sometimes having as many as 300 roosters at once.

Currently, Perdue has about 20 roosters and about 16 or 17 hens, along with half a dozen young roosters. Although he doesn't have the time to raise more birds, he says he'll make time to fight for the hobby he's had for years.

"It's just a terrific shame that (breeders) get a bad rap," Perdue said.

Writer Deanna Wrenn can be reached at 348-1796.