|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
Letter to the editor:
Dear Sheriff Rodney Derryberry:
An illegal cockfight occurred on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 13299 Red Barn Road in Cameron, Oklahoma.
SHowing Animals Respect & Kindness (SHARK) and concerned citizens alerted the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, but they were told it would take two and a half hours to respond. However, no officers from your department attended or investigated the matter.
Cockfighting is a felony in Oklahoma, punishable by up to ten years in jail and a $25,000 fine, but laws are meaningless without enforcement.
More than one hundred vehicles, likely thousands of dollars in illegal gambling money, and children were present at this criminal operation. Not only is that illegal, but as you likely know, animal abuse often correlates with other nefarious activity such as domestic violence, sexual assault, illegal weapons and drugs, and even human trafficking. The link between animal cruelty and violence against humans is a well-documented fact, so this pit is a danger to your community, and it needs to be immediately and permanently shut down.
Your law enforcement agency has been called about this violent blood sport in the past, but no action has ever been taken.
Video documentation from last Saturday is available at this link:
Please inform me as soon as possible what your department is doing regarding this criminal operation.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Regards,
Jodie Wiederkehr, Campaigns Director
SHowing Animals Respect & Kindness (SHARK)773-726-0589
Heavener.news does not agree with or against letters to the editor. To submit a letter to the editor, send it to news@heavener.news. All letters must be signed and include contact information to verify your identity. Our forum can also be used to discus topicshttps://heavener.news/forum/