Cockfighting is a contest in which two roosters are forced to fight, often to death, while spectators place bets on the outcome. The events are also known as "derbies," and they're held in arenas called "pits," while referees supervise the fights.
For example, at a single cockpit in Malvar, Batangas, about 50 personnel work during fight events, earning daily wages averaging ₱300 (~$5.50) or income based on a share of entrance fees.
The two organizations uncovered an enormous derby in March at the same location, but no action was taken at that event. The groups also documented two other cockfighting derbies in Kaufman County on July 5 ....
Yet the fights continue ... Fights can last several rounds, with pauses to clean wounds and reset feathers ... Disputes flare over bets, leading to physical fights ... He recalls how a man and his two sons died in a recent fight that turned fatal.
Cockfighting is a violent sport involving domesticated roosters that fight until one dies or is critically injured ... a fighting disadvantage caused by blood loss, according to the animal advocates.