Connecticut Police Raid Animal-Fighting Ring

Last Sunday, the Shelton Police Department raided a Connecticut home where animals were being pitted against each other in fights, while spectators placed wagers on which would win the fight. The police arrested 19 people and charged them with animal cruelty and illegal gambling. The police and Connecticut Department of Agriculture also confiscated 150 animals.

Normally when a raid of this kind occurs, the animals in question are either fighting cocks (roosters) or a fighting breed of dogs. But this raid didn't involve either of those. The vicious animals involved in these fights are pictured above. That's right. They are saffron finches (pictured) and canaries.

I have to admit, I didn't even know finches and canaries could be trained to fight. And that anyone would be interested in betting on them even if they could be taught. But, the older I get, the more I learn. Police Sgt. Robert Kozlowsky said they'd never seen or heard of this before. He went on to say, "This is new to us. Finches are much easier to keep under the radar than roosters because they make less noise and they wouldn't arouse suspicions if someone had a lot of them."

All of those arrested were from Brazil. Evidently finch-fighting is bigger in that country. Kozlowsky said the police were tipped off about the illegal gambling, and conducted a month-long investigation before conducting the raid.

So I guess it would behoove us to be careful the next time we go bird-watching or hiking or camping. We might run across some of these "fighting birds".