AUSTIN (1080 KRLD) - A new House bill goes after people who raise fighting roosters and the folks who attend those fights.

Most things that go on at cockfights are illegal. "These are drug rings, these are gambling rings," said State Representative Representative Wayne Christian, a Republican from the East Texas town of Center.

But it's not illegal to raise fighting roosters or even attend a so-called exhibition fight.  Christian's legislation would change that.

He says if we were talking about dog fighting this would be totally unacceptable. Christian says cruelty is cruelty no matter what animal you're talking about.