Howard County Sheriff’s Office arrests 10 people for illegal rooster fights

HOWARD COUNTY, Neb. (KSNB) - The Howard County Sheriff’s Office arrested 10 people for illegal rooster fighting on Saturday.

Deputies received a 911 call about illegal gambling activity involving roosters in rural Howard County and investigated the report, along with Nebraska Games and Parks, at around 4:30 p.m. A search warrant was obtained for the property.

After the search, 10 individuals were arrested, and the animals seized for gambling related to pitting animals fighting each other.

Howard County Sheriff Tom Busch tells Local4 when deputies arrived on scene, they only saw two vehicles visible in the driveway near the house. But he said once they went around, they located several more vehicles and people coming out of the building trying to leave.

He did say two vehicles were able to get out before law enforcement was able to block the area.

Of the 10 people arrested, he said all of them were males with a majority of them not residents of Howard County. He added that there was a pretty good amount of money on the individuals who were detained and later arrested.

When asked, the sheriff said he wasn’t going to release the location of the arrest or the people who were taken into custody.

He did say the sheriff’s office took possession of seven roosters. One of them died from injuries from fighting that first night.

Sheriff Busch said they have taken them to an off-site location, adding that they will continue to care for them until the court case is over and they get guidance on what’s to be done with them.

He said he’s been in the position since 2010 and hasn’t dealt with illegal gambling of animals.