On Sunday, San Joaquin County Sheriff's deputies swept into an orchard near Kettleman Lane and Highway 12 in Lodi after a tip about a possible rooster-fighting operation. Officers said they rolled up on a large gathering of more than 150 vehicles, and as deputies closed in, many people scattered while live roosters were seized at the scene.
What Deputies Say They Found
In a Facebook post, the California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force said San Joaquin County Sheriff's deputies used the sheriff’s office UAS to locate vehicles in the orchard, and that many drivers tried to flee as officers arrived. According to the post, deputies forced entry into a locked vehicle and found several roosters inside. San Joaquin County Animal Services took custody of 18 live roosters, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Regional Context: Large Seizures And Repeated Enforcement
The Lodi operation is the latest in a series of large raids across Northern California. In February, Sonoma County deputies seized more than 800 roosters after a months-long probe that uncovered evidence "consistent with bird fighting," according to SFGate. In 2024, San Joaquin County deputies also interrupted a cockfighting operation in Linden that resulted in multiple arrests, KTVU reported.
Penalties And What Could Follow
Cockfighting is illegal in California. Penal Code §597b outlaws causing cocks to fight and carries potential fines and jail terms (FindLaw). Civil Code §3482.8 allows property used for cockfighting to be declared a public nuisance (FindLaw). Depending on what investigators document at the orchard, local prosecutors could pursue cruelty, gambling or forfeiture charges.
Anyone with information about the Lodi gathering is asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office at 209-468-4400, according to the Facebook post. Deputies said members of the public should avoid handling the seized animals and leave them to county animal services while the case moves forward.
