Cockfighting opponents want breeders group to lose tax break

Posted on Tue, Jul. 12, 2005

DUNCAN MANSFIELD

Associated Press

KNOXVILLE , Tenn. - Citing a major cockfighting raid in Tennessee , the country's largest animal protection group asked the IRS on Tuesday to revoke the tax-exempt status of the United Gamefowl Breeders Association.

The Humane Society of the United States alleged in a letter to the IRS's tax-exempt and government entities division that the Ripley, Miss.-based breeders group "promotes and defends the barbaric and widely criminalized practice of cockfighting."

The breeders group, which claims 28 affiliate organizations in 27 states, called the letter "a veiled attempt to implicate our association" in an illegal activity.

"It is ludicrous to think that we would be involved on a national level to promote cockfighting," UGBA spokesman Larry Mathews told The Associated Press. "In fact, conspiracy to promote a crime is a felony and that would have been brought to our attention years ago."

Mathews said the Humane Society made a similar attack on the group's tax-exempt status six or seven years ago and "we passed with flying colors."

In the letter, Humane Society president Wayne Pacelle cited a June 11 raid on a cockfighting pit in Cocke County in which 143 participants were arrested, more than $40,000 in cash was confiscated and more than 300 fighting roosters were euthanized.

Cockfighting is a misdemeanor in Tennessee and 16 other states. It is a felony in 32 other states and legal in two - Louisiana and New Mexico .

"The UGBA is not an agricultural organization, and neither the U.S. Department of Agriculture nor any state agriculture department recognizes the raising of fighting birds as an agricultural activity," Pacelle wrote.

"The UGBA is an organized crime association, and it should not continue to operate as an exempt organization with the blessing of the Internal Revenue Service," he argued.

Mathews countered that the UGBA is a "breeding organization."

"We sponsor regional and national poultry shows," he said. "Our poultry is the best there is for the purpose of fly tying and the meat of choice for many of the Asian Pacific Rim people."

Added Mathews, "You have to remember that all chickens fight. (But) we do not support illegal activities."

United Gamefowl Breeders: http://www.ugba.info

Humane Society of the U.S. : http://www.hsus.org