Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states—including Texas. But that hasn’t stopped North Texas from becoming the epicenter of a violent global industry that profits from animal cruelty.

A new investigation by Animal Wellness Action and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) has exposed how thousands of roosters bred on Texas farms are being shipped overseas for bloodsport under the false label of “breeding.” Undercover videos show roosters packed into wire cages, mutilated to prepare them for fights, and flown from DFW Airport to countries like the Philippines, where cockfighting is still legal and profitable. These birds aren’t bred for meat or eggs. They’re bred to kill—and die—in front of spectators.

Even when arrests are made, justice is rare. In Dallas County alone, 6,762 birds were seized across 36 cases, but almost every charge resulted in a misdemeanor with light sentences. Many operations are back up and running in weeks. Local law enforcement struggles to act because suspects are rarely caught “in the act,” and state law does not treat cockfighting with the seriousness it demands.

Meanwhile, major breeders operate openly on social media. Some have even been filmed bragging about their wins at international fighting derbies. This is not just a loophole. It’s a pipeline—one that exploits weak state laws and minimal federal enforcement.

We call on the Texas Legislature to urgently reintroduce and pass legislation like HB 1795, which would make it a felony to own a rooster for fighting or use property for cockfighting. We also urge the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate illegal exports and prosecute shippers, airlines, and breeders under the federal animal fighting statutes. And we demand Korean Air and other cargo carriers adopt strict no-transport policies for gamefowl bred for violence.

Texas should not be the launchpad for international animal cruelty. Sign now to demand real enforcement, tougher penalties, and a permanent end to this brutal blood trade.