Breaking Investigation: Bali Cab Drivers Lure Tourists to Bloody Cockfighting Operation

Bali— Disturbing, just-released video footage from the first-ever PETA Asia investigation into cockfighting in Bali reveals that sharp razors are strapped to the feet of terrified roosters before the birds are tossed into a ring and forced to fight to the death in front of jeering crowds—and illegal gambling runs rampant. If the birds don’t kill each other quickly enough, they’re trapped together under a small basket until one slashes the other to death—and even the “victor” is likely to sustain fatal injuries. (hi-res videos are available here)

When not being forced to fight, the roosters are typically confined to baskets, where they’re unable to roam, forage for food, bask in the sun, or engage in any other natural behaviors. Many are tied to makeshift treadmills and made to run in circles or jump from heights, often with weights attached to their legs, to build up their muscles.

“Frightened roosters in Bali are forced to slice each other to the bone with razors in disgusting spectacles that prop up massive illegal gambling operations,” says PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker. “PETA urges everyone to stay far away from this sickening bloodsport, and if you’re invited to attend a cockfight, please report it to local authorities.”

Under Article 303 of the Indonesian Criminal Code, gambling is a criminal offense punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment and substantial fines.

Chickens form complex social structures, dream when they sleep, and worry about the future, just as humans do, but in cockfights, they can sustain punctured lungs, broken bones, and gouged eyes, and survivors’ injuries are rarely treated. Before a fight, many birds are preemptively mutilated—their feathers are torn out and their wattles and combs are painfully hacked off with shears—all so that their “opponent” can’t do so in the ring.

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals arenot ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any way” —points out that Every Animal is Someone. For more information, please visit PETAAsia.com or follow PETA Asia on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

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