Sacramento County could regulate rooster ownership in effort to protect animals

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By CNN Newsource

September 6, 2025 4:20 PM

Published September 6, 2025 4:18 PM

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, California (KOVR) -- Protecting animals from abuse is the goal of new rules being proposed next week in Sacramento County that would regulate rooster ownership. Sacramento County has been a hotspot for the crime over the years, including a major bust last December when sheriff's deputies raided a property in Herald and found more than 200 birds.

"They saw 40 to 50 people running in all directions, some people getting in their cars and taking off," Sacramento County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Amar Gandhi said. "When we stop cockfighting, we make our communities safer," said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Welfare Action.

Pacelle said the illegal events often come with other crimes. "Illegal gambling, narcotics trafficking and the like, this is always the case that cockfighting is co-mingled with other criminal behavior," Pacelle said.

Now Sacramento County is proposing a crackdown by regulating rooster ownership.

Currently, there is no limit on the number of male chickens that can be kept on rural properties with more than 10,000 square feet.

The proposed new rules would prevent people from owning more than five roosters in rural areas and two roosters in residential zones, which would require a new permit.

Regulations would also ban tethering the birds and require keeping them in secure housing with appropriate space. "This is the way to really crack down on this. If animal services takes the matter seriously, they have to enforce the law," Pacelle said.

Wayne said the new rules could also help protect legitimate poultry farmers.

More than 20 other California counties have similar rooster regulations in effect.

Supporters said it gives authorities a new legal tool to help protect animals from abuse. "The beauty of an ordinance like this is you can stop the problem really on the front end, you don't have to raid a fight in progress," Pacelle said.

The proposed changes will be discussed at the Sacramento County Planning Commission on Monday and they would need to be passed by the board of supervisors before taking effect.