Birds seized over cock fighting

Cock fighting is an illegal 'sport' in the UK

Animal welfare officers have seized seven birds they suspected were being kept for cock fighting.

The Scottish SPCA with the help of Lothian and Borders Police recovered the birds during raids on on a number of Edinburgh addresses on Tuesday.

The birds are now in the Scottish SPCA's care and will be examined for evidence of being prepared for fighting.

As yet, no-one has been charged with an offence.

Scottish SPCA Ch Supt Mike Flynn said cock fight was illegal.

He added: "Cock fighting is big business for some very small sections of society. Prize birds can be worth hundreds of pounds to their owners and significant sums of money changes hands at the fights.

"This ancient blood sport is a very clandestine, underground activity that is shrouded in secrecy so we are very pleased to have removed these birds today in what was a successful operation.

"Any 'sport' that involves pitting one animal against another and encouraging them to fight each other to extreme injury and often death is, in our view, abhorrent and has no place in modern society."