Cops Bust Alleged Finch-Fighting Ring

(CBS/ AP)  Connecticut authorities say they arrested 19 people and seized more than 100 birds in a house raid on an alleged bird-fighting operation.

Wayne Kasacek, of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and Shelton police Sgt. Robert Kozlowsky say most of the 150 confiscated birds were saffron finches and that a few were canaries.

"When the canaries are bred, they will fight to the death," Kozlowsky told CBS Connecticut affiliate WFSB.

Kasacek say some of the birds had previous injuries, including blindness in at least one eye, and may have to be euthanized.

Police say they made the arrests Sunday just as spectators had placed bets and were getting ready to watch the birds fight at a home in Shelton, just west of New Haven. Authorities say they seized $8,000 in alleged betting money.

Saffron finches are small birds that are native to South America.

The 19 people were charged with cruelty to animals and gambling. They include Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey residents.

Police also charged the homeowner, 42-year-old Jurames Goulart, with interfering with officers.

[wyodutch]

What politically-correct crap.

You dine on meat from cattle fattened in feedlots... wallowing around in knee-deep feces... You eat chickens that are raised in shoe-box sized cages... You scarf down bacon from hogs that are often scaled before they're dead... and you get your panties in a knot over a finch-fight?

Good God.

[cdegolier]

Do these people have nothing better to do with their lives? Are they too chicken to fight themselves? There are soo many people in this world that provide nothing more than pain to society, send them to the bottom of the food chain, let them be hunted.

[timping1]

C'mon Tweety! Granny needs a hip replacement!

[TyroneHoglegg]

LOL!

[John_Merritt]

It is just plain sad to what extent people will go to get their jolly's. What a sick society we have become.

[Benton09]

Put these people (I use that term loosely) in a ring and let them fight to the death and we'll bet on them.