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Fuerza Publica is committed to the safety and protection of all domestic and wildlife species in Costa Rica, not just humans.
For the second time in less than five days, Fuerza Publica officers used old-fashioned police work to rescue animals from the clutches of less-than-scrupulous humans. Five days after officers walking the beat in the capital city of San Jose apprehended a man concealing ten green iguanas in burlap sacks, members of Fuerza Publica in the Osa canton rescued ten gamecocks used for bloodsport and filed charges against the leaders of a cockfighting ring.
According to an official press release by Fuerza Publica, a detachment in Ciudad Cortes working with confidential informants received a tip on April 17th about a suspected gallera -a place for breeding, training and fighting of gamecocks.
The information pointed to a private residence, which the officers approached but did not enter. Obtaining a search warrant based on tips from confidential informants can be a lengthy affair in Costa Rica, and thus the officers resorted to old-fashioned police work by setting up a perimeter and interviewing members of the community. They soon found 10 veteran gamecocks, all of them injured from fighting.
Fuerza Publica also confiscated 51 gaffs or spurs made of turtle shells. These sharp hooks are fastened to the legs of the birds; they are used to inflict injuries during cockfights until one of the animals is mortally wounded.
The officers charged the ringleaders with cruelty to animals and turned them over to prosecutors in Osa. They also notified the National Animal Health Service (SENASA in Spanish) to intervene and look after the injured gamecocks.
Once a part of rural culture, cockfighting has been legally banned in Costa Rica for a few years, and is treated as unlawful and intentional harm to animals. It is a lucrative underground activity due to the gambling proceeds, and thus Fuerza Publica seeks the assistance of confidential informants and the community in their fight against this nefarious trade.
Source: Fuerza Publica
