As many as 3,000 cockfighting roosters were rescued from a California ranch this week as part of an investigation into animal cruelty. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said 2,000 to 3,000 roosters were kept on the multi-acre ranch in Los Angeles' Chatsworth area, where a search warrant was served Monday morning, per ABC News. The roosters were seized along with several hundred livestock that were "held on the property in various states of health," the department said.
KABC describes what photos captured of the scene, including small cages packed with a number of roosters and what looked like a horse with bloodied legs. Several people were arrested as part of the investigation into animal cruelty and the possession of game fowl for the purpose of fighting, though their names have not been released. A search of the property is expected to last a few days, per NBC Los Angeles. (More cockfighting stories.)