Police Find Cockfight Apparatus

San Bernardino police broke up an apparent cockfight over the weekend, seizing 150 birds and questioning about 20 people at the scene, authorities said Monday.

Police arrived at a home in the 900 block of Foisy Street on Sunday in response to a tip from a neighbor, who suspected a noisy gathering was due to a cockfight. When officers arrived, 70 to 80 people began to flee, said San Bernardino Police Lt. Jeff Breiten.

Police detained 20 people and found 150 roosters caged behind the home, he said.

They also found a betting board -- used to keep track of matches and bets -- a fighting ring, and spurs and razors that are attached to roosters’ feet just before combat, Breiten said.

Breiten said police were trying to determine who was running the cockfights and who were spectators.

No one at the scene was arrested.

Police notified the San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control Department, which euthanized the birds.

“These birds are really aggressive,” said animal control director Ken Childress. “It’s really the best we could do.”