|
Cockfighting supporters say they're not ready
to give up, despite an Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling.
The ruling upheld that a voter-approved ban on cockfighting is constitutional. James Talley of the Oklahoma Gamefowl Breeders Association says the group will probably ask for a rehearing. They say if that fails, they will take the case to the US Supreme Court if necessary. |
|
Source: The News on 6
|
By Katie Worth;
kworth@guampdn.com
Pacific Daily News
Good news for the island's cockfight aficionados: The Department of Agriculture has lifted its embargo on the importation of live chickens from the U.S. mainland.
The embargo started in September 2002 because of concerns about the spread of the West Nile virus. It had been thought that chickens could serve as reservoirs for the transmission of the virus to mosquitoes and newborn chicks.
However, the agriculture department announced Friday that new scientific research indicates that the disease cannot be spread this way, and so the department lifted the embargo.
For Ernie Abanes, a longtime cockfighter and breeder, this is great news.
When the ban on importation was imposed almost two years ago, Abanes said, it forced the cockfighting community on Guam to start breeding their own roosters, and it made the prices for good chickens go up.
He said he thinks the prices will lower again now that the ban has been lifted, but he believes locals will continue to breed their own roosters.
Agriculture Director Paul Bassler said the department had allowed importation of some chickens during the time of the embargo, but it required a costly and lengthy quarantine and test period, so the process was not often used.
Pago Bay resident Joe Sablan, 35, recently began breeding roosters after his son became interested in the sport. He said he has looked through books of roosters in the U.S. mainland and, if he had some extra money, would consider importing some.
"I would like to import some because they have some nice birds in those farms," he said. "I was looking at the book -- the latest edition on cockfighting -- and I was just looking through it and it's tempting."
The lifting of the embargo will be well received by the cockfighting community, Abanes said.
"It's good news for us cockfighters," Abanes said. "I think it's great. Cockfighting is a tradition here on Guam. ... It's been passed on for generations. My father and my uncle here on Guam passed it on to me."
Originally published Tuesday, April 6, 2004
Source: http://www.guampdn.com/news/stories/20040406/localnews/175122.html
Courtesy: Edward C.
Michigan hunters thought they had won a major victory in the battle over a dove-hunting season, but Gov. Jennifer Granholm may deliver a deadly blow.
The governor has announced she will veto the bill that won a surprising 22-15 vote in the Michigan Senate on Wednesday.
<snip>
|
Animal welfare takes on
religion | ||
|
The government has
rejected a call to ban the method used to kill animals for halal and
kosher meat that is required by Muslims and Jews.
While animal welfare activists claim the process is cruel, Jews and Muslims say the rules dictated by their ancient religious texts cannot be changed. BBC News Online's Paula Dear talked to some of the interested parties in the ongoing debate. | ||