Deadly pastime

THE death of a Filipino police officer who was fatally injured while trying to break up a cockfight is a wake-up call. We were very sorry to learn of the officer’s death, but we would like to point out that for the birds, this pastime is almost always deadly.

The blade that wounded the officer is standard in this blood sport. Strapped to the birds’ feet, razor-sharp gaffes tear through flesh and bone, inflicting agonizing and sometimes fatal injuries. Roosters sustain broken wings and legs, punctured lungs, severed spinal cords, and gouged-out eyes.