Anti-Cockfighting Laws of United States

This is for reference only and consult an attorney to be sure of your rights and laws in your state.

FEDERAL

The Agriculture Act of 2014 (H.R. 2642)

SEC. 12308. AMENDMENTS TO ANIMAL WELFARE ACT.

“It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly:

– attend an animal fighting venture; whoever violates shall be fined, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both, for each violation.

– cause an individual who has not attained the age of 16 to attend an animal fighting venture; whoever violates shall be fined, imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both, for each violation.”

STATES AND TERRITORIES

Table Updated: April 2013

State	Cockfighting	Possession of Cocks for Fighting	Spectator	Possession of Cockfighting Implements
Alabama	Misdemeanor	Legal	Legal	Legal
Alaska	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor(1)	Legal
Arizona	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
Arkansas	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Legal
California	Felony(2)	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Colorado	Felony	Felony	Felony	Felony
Connecticut	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
Delaware	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
Florida	Felony	Felony	Felony	Felony
Georgia	Felony	Legal	Legal	Legal
Hawaii	Misdemeanor	Legal	Legal	Legal
Idaho	Felony	Legal	Legal	Felony
Illinois	Felony	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor
Indiana	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Iowa	Felony	Felony	Felony(3)	Felony
Kansas	Felony	Legal	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Kentucky	Misdemeanor	Legal	Misdemeanor	Legal
Louisiana	Felony(3)	Felony	Misdemeanor	Legal
Maine	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Legal
Maryland	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Felony
Massachusetts	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
Michigan	Felony	Felony	Felony	Felony
Minnesota	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Mississippi	Misdemeanor	Legal	Legal	Legal
Missouri	Felony	Legal	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Montana	Felony	Felony	Legal	Legal
Nebraska	Felony	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor
Nevada	Felony(3)	Felony(3)	Felony(4)	Legal
New Hampshire	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
New Jersey	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
New Mexico	Felony(4)	Felony(4)	Legal	Legal
New York	Felony	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Legal
North Carolina	Felony	Legal	Felony	Legal
North Dakota	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Legal
Ohio	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Oklahoma	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Felony
Oregon	Felony	Felony	Felony	Felony(5)
Pennsylvania	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
Rhode Island	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
South Carolina	Misdemeanor	Legal	Misdemeanor	Legal
South Dakota	Misdemeanor	Legal	Misdemeanor	Legal
Tennessee	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Legal
Texas	Felony	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor
Utah	Misdemeanor	Legal	Misdemeanor	Legal
Vermont	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
Virginia	Felony	Felony	Felony	Felony
Washington	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
West Virginia	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Misdemeanor	Legal
Wisconsin	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Legal
Wyoming	Felony	Felony	Misdemeanor	Legal
	Cockfighting	Possession of Cocks for Fighting	Spectator	Possession of Cockfighting Implements
Number of States	40 Felony	32 Felony	20 Felony	9 Felony
Number of States	10 Misdemeanor	6 Misdemeanor	23 Misdemeanor	9 Misdemeanor
Number of States		12 Legal	7 Legal	31 Legal
Washington DC	Felony	Felony	Felony	Legal
American Samoa	Legal	Legal	Legal	Legal
Guam	Legal	Legal	Legal	Legal
Puerto Rico	Legal	Legal	Legal	Legal
Virgin Islands	Legal	Legal	Legal	Legal

Note:

1. Second or subsequent offense is a misdemeanor.
2. Second or subsequent offense can be a felony.
3. Second or subsequent offense is a felony.
4. Third or subsequent violation is a felony.
5. Possession of gaffs and slashers is a Class C Felony; possession of all other cockfighting implements is a Class A Misdemeanor.

Table Below Updated: March 09, 2009

State	Cockfighting	Possession of Birds for Fighting	Spectator at a Cockfight	Possession of Implements	Rank
4 Felony
Florida	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	1
Michigan	Felony Max 4 years $5,000- $50,000 500-100 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $5,000-$50,000 500-100 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $1,000- $5,000 250-500 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $1,000- $5,000 250-500 hours community service	2
Colorado	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years Max $1,000	3
Virginia	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 6 Felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	4
3 Felony
Iowa	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750-$7,500	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750-$7,500	Aggravated misdemeanor Max 2 years $500-$5,000	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750-$7,500	5
Maryland	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,500	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	6
3 Felony, 1 Legal
New Jersey	Crime of the 3rd Degree 3-5 years $3,000-$5,000	Crime of the 3rd Degree 3-5 years $3,000-$5,000	Crime of the 3rd Degree 3-5 years $3,000-$5,000	Legal	7
Pennsylvania	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	Legal	8
New Hampshire	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Legal	9
Nebraska	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Legal	10
Washington	Class C Felony 5 years $10,000	Class C Felony 5 years $10,000	Class C Felony 5 years $10,000	Legal	11
Connecticut	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Legal	12
Vermont	Felony Max 5 year Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 year Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 year Max $5,000	Legal	13
Rhode Island	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Legal	14
2 Felony
Illinois	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,500	Class C Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $1,500	15
Indiana	Class D Felony 6 months to 3 years Max $10,000	Class D Felony 6 months to 3 years Max $10,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Class B Misdemeanor Max 180 days Max $1,000	16
Oregon	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $6,250	Class C Felony	17
2 Felony, 1 Legal
Minnesota	Felony Min 1 year 1 day	Felony Min 1 year 1 day	Misdemeanor Max 90 days Max $1,000	Legal	18
Arizona	Felony 9 months to 2 years Max $150,000	Felony 9 months to 2 years Max $150,000	Misdemeanor Max $25,000	Legal	19
Oklahoma	Felony Max 10 years Max $25,000	Felony 1-10 years $2,000-$25,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Legal	20
Alaska	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	Violation No jail time Max $500	Legal	21
Washington, D.C.	Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 180 days Max $1,000	Legal	22
Arkansas	Felony Max 6 years Max $10,000	Felony Max 6 years Max $10,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $1,000	Legal	23
Maine	Class C crime Court must impose a fine of $500 max, in addition to: Max 5 years; Max $5,000	Class C crime Court must impose a fine of $500 max, in addition to: Max 5 years; Max $5,000	Class D crime Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	24
North Dakota	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	25
Wyoming	Felony Max 2 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $750	Legal	26
Massachusetts	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 1 year (house of correction) Max $1,000	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 1 year (house of correction) Max $1,000	Misdemeanor equivalent Max 1 month Max $250	Legal	27
New York	Felony Max 4 years Max $25,000	Felony Max 4 years Max $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $15,000	Legal	28
Wisconsin	Class I Felony Max 3 years, 6 months Max $10,000	Class I Felony Max 3 years, 6 months Max $10,000	Class A misdemeanor Max 9 months Max $10,000	Legal	29
Delaware	Class F Felony Max 3 years Discretionary fine	Class F Felony Max 3 years Discretionary fine	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,300	Legal	30
2 Felony, 2 Legal
Montana	Felony 1-5 years Max $5,000	Felony 1-5 years Max $5,000	Legal	Legal	31
1 Felony, 1 Legal
Missouri	Class D Felony Max 10 years	Legal	Class A Misdemeanor Min 6 months	Class A Misdemeanor Min 6 months	32
1 Felony, 3 Legal
Georgia	Felony 1-5 years Max $15,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	33
Texas	Felony 180 days to 2 years Max $10,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	34
North Carolina	Felony 3-8 months to 4-10 months	Legal	Legal	Legal	35
Misdemeanor
California	Misdemeanor Max of 1 year Max of $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Misdemeanor Max of 1 year Max of $5000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	36
Misdemeanor, 1 Legal
Tennessee	Class A Misdemeanor Max: 11 months and 29 days Max $2,500	Class A Misdemeanor Max: 11 months and 29 days Max $2,500	Class C Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $50	Legal	37
West Virginia	Misdemeanor Max 1 year $100-$1,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months $300-$2,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year $100-$1,000	Legal	38
New Mexico	Petty Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Petty Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Petty Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Legal	39
Ohio	4th Degree Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $250	4th Degree Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $250	4th Degree Misdemeanor Max 30 days Max $250	Legal	40
Misdemeanor, 2 Legal
Nevada	Gross misdemeanor 1-4 years Max $5,000	Legal	Misdemeanor Max $1,000	Legal	41
South Carolina	Misdemeanor: max 1 year, max $1,000; second and subsequent offenses can now bring up to a $3,000 fine and 3 years in prison.	Legal	Misdemeanor: max 1 year, max $1,000	Legal	42
Utah	Class B Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	Class B Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	43
South Dakota	Class 1 Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	Class 1 Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	44
Kansas	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $1,000	Legal	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $1,000	Legal	45
Louisiana	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1000	Legal	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1000	Legal	46
Misdemeanor, 3 Legal
Hawaii	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	47
Kentucky	Class A Misdemeanor Max 12 months Max $500	Legal	Legal	Legal	48
Idaho	Misdemeanor Max 6 months $100-$5,000	Legal	Legal	Legal	49
Mississippi	Misdemeanor 10 days-100 days $10-$100	Legal	Legal	Legal	50
Alabama	Misdemeanor fine not less than $20 or more than $50	Legal	Legal	Legal	51