This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22888324
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Cock fighting network uncovered by USPCA | Cock fighting network uncovered by USPCA |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Cockfighting, a practice that has been illegal for almost 200 years, is still going on, BBC Newsline has discovered. | Cockfighting, a practice that has been illegal for almost 200 years, is still going on, BBC Newsline has discovered. |
| The fights take place regularly at clandestine venues known only to a network of individuals who gather to watch birds fight, sometimes to death. | The fights take place regularly at clandestine venues known only to a network of individuals who gather to watch birds fight, sometimes to death. |
| For months now BBC Newsline has had exclusive access to an Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigation. | For months now BBC Newsline has had exclusive access to an Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigation. |
| Men were filmed setting birds on each other in bloody contests. | Men were filmed setting birds on each other in bloody contests. |
| At one site last weekend, about 60 people, some of them children, were gathered around a makeshift ring in County Monaghan about five miles from Middletown in County Armagh. | At one site last weekend, about 60 people, some of them children, were gathered around a makeshift ring in County Monaghan about five miles from Middletown in County Armagh. |
| On another occasion, both birds seemed to survive. In another earlier encounter one of the birds was lifted, apparently lifeless, from the ring. | On another occasion, both birds seemed to survive. In another earlier encounter one of the birds was lifted, apparently lifeless, from the ring. |
| These big events in the cockfighting world are known as derbies. | These big events in the cockfighting world are known as derbies. |
| On St Patrick's Day this year, another meeting took place just south of the border. | On St Patrick's Day this year, another meeting took place just south of the border. |
| Cars, vans and hatchbacks transported the birds in cages where they are penned before being agitated to fight. | Cars, vans and hatchbacks transported the birds in cages where they are penned before being agitated to fight. |
| Again birds died in the ring. Again children were there. A young boy was pictured taking care of one of the birds that survived. | Again birds died in the ring. Again children were there. A young boy was pictured taking care of one of the birds that survived. |