OLYMPIA, Wash. — Next month, prosecutors in Washington state will be able to charge those involved in animal fighting operations with felony animal cruelty counts for every animal involved.
Assistant director of the Washington State Gambling Commission, Gary Drumheller, said he hopes the change will help investigators break up more operations of dog or cockfights.
More charges could result in more cooperation, said Drumheller.
"Who are you raising these for? Who are you selling them to? That's information we want,” said Drumheller.
He said the number of animal fighting rings has remained constant in the 30-plus years he’s worked for the gambling commission.
The state has investigated 50 fighting operations since 2015, according to a commission spokesperson.
Drumheller said tips from the public are “vital” to the commission’s investigations.
He said the state would like to hear from anyone who sees suspicious activity on rural properties, animals chained up, or large numbers of cars coming to rural properties late in the evening.
Those with information can also leave an anonymous tip on the commission's website.
Agent Ronnie Cooper has worked undercover investigations for the commission for the past five years and in Florida before that.
He said every case is heartbreaking, especially knowing most of the animals involved don’t survive.
“Having to go and release these animals and take them away from that situation, a lot of times those animals will come up and start licking you because all they want is love,” said Cooper.