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• Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit:
  1. Sponsoring or exhibiting a bird in a fighting venture in a State where it would not otherwise be in violation of the law, only if the person knew that any bird in the venture was knowingly bought, sold, delivered, transported, or received in interstate or foreign commerce for such purpose; or
  2. Knowingly sponsoring or exhibiting in an animal fighting venture any other animal that was moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
• Prohibits knowingly:
  1. Selling, buying, transporting, delivering, or receiving, for purposes of transportation in interstate or foreign commerce, any dog or other animal to participate in an animal fighting venture;
  2. Using interstate mail service for commercial speech promoting an animal fighting venture except as performed outside the limits of the States (with an exception for bird fights in States whose laws allow them); or
  3. Selling, buying, transporting, or delivering in interstate or foreign commerce a knife, gaff, or other sharp instrument to be attached to the leg of a bird for use in an animal fighting venture.

• The legislation is consistent with the AVMA's policy on animal fighting:

• The AVMA recognizes the significant negative impact that animal fighting has on animal and human health:
  • 2002-2003: Cockfighting implicated in the introduction and spread of Exotic Newcastle Disease in California and other Western states.
    • Eradication of this outbreak cost US taxpayers over $200M
    • Millions of dollars lost in domestic and foreign markets of US poultry industry
  • 2004: Fatal human case of Avian Influenza in Thailand was linked to the practice of cockfighting in that country