Two people in Atlantic County are facing animal cruelty charges after authorities allegedly discovered "dozens of roosters trained to fight" and "multiple dead birds in varying stages of decay."

Cat Country 107.3 logo
Get our free mobile app

Last week, 81-year-old Sigfredo Perez of Newtonville and 49-year-old Queli Merlo of Hammonton were arrested and charged with third-degree
owning/training live animals for the purpose of fighting offenses.

According to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, those charges stem from an investigation of an anonymous tip about a home in Buena that was alleged to have been housing birds used for fighting.

  • A search of the property yielded dozens of roosters trained to fight as well as equipment used to train the roosters to fight.
  • Over 100 other birds were found to be living in unsanitary conditions on the property.
  • The birds are currently under quarantine in accordance with state law pending the outcome of disease testing.
  • Multiple dead birds in varying stages of decay were also found on the property.

Detectives also seized two dogs, five rabbits, and several cats that were reported to be living in unsanitary conditions and in need of medical treatment.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office initiated and led the investigation with assistance from the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, and Buena Borough Animal Control.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Why do cats have whiskers? Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? And answers to 47 other kitty questions:

Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? Why do they have whiskers? Cats, and their undeniably adorable babies known as kittens, are mysterious creatures. Their larger relatives, after all, are some of the most mystical and lethal animals on the planet. Many questions related to domestic felines, however, have perfectly logical answers. Here’s a look at some of the most common questions related to kittens and cats, and the answers cat lovers are looking for.