Fighting cocks bred and raised for bloodsport are not regulated by those nice people who make sure our food is healthy and tasty.
1. The people making sure our food is 'healthy and tasty' are actually not very nice, normally.
2. Think about how well a human would fight if kept in a 'too small' cage for most of their life vs one that's been carefully raised/trained.
I read up on how gamecocks are raised - they're raised free range, with the poults(male chicks) sorted by dominance. IE when one becomes the 'leader' it's removed to an area by itself. Still free range, and encouraged to exercise/develop, provided premium feed. There's something about introducing older hens to help 'build up the confidence' of the young gamecocks, though whether that's the initial losers of the dominance competitions or the winner is a bit vague to me.
Small dirty cages with freedom only while enraged and either killing or being killed.
It's a bit like a horse race - do you WANT your fighting bird to NOT be at the top of it's game? The small cages are only for transport.
Cock fighting is brutal and nasty. Actually, all pit fighing blood sport is brutal and nasty.
Don't argue with this; however territorial/mate dominance games are brutal and nasty in nature as well. Look at what Bucks/Rams and such will do to each other.
The fact that stupid birds fighting in a ring is something she found to be that bad makes me think that it's a lot worse then it sounds.
I actually don't disagree with you here, which is why I proposed SOME regulations. Examples I listed included banning Gaffs, only allowing natural spurs. The chickens fight naturally. They hate each other without any assistance.
Oh, and I wouldn't eat those cocks. They probably really tough and nasty, not to mention possibly deases ridden. :barf:
Disease ridden? Unlikely, though likely only as 'sterile' as regular free-range chicken. Remember, these are 1:1 fights between chickens, and for you to get the most money your's has to win. Ergo you want the strongest, healthiest bird you can get.
Never said it wasn't. My only comment was on the care taken of what can be valuable property.
My view as well. However it seems to be an extremely common 'sickness'.