La. Legislature bans cockfighting starting in August 2008

BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana will ban cockfighting in August 2008, becoming the last state to outlaw the blood sport, under a bill granted final approval in the Legislature on Wednesday.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco's office said she would sign the bill banning the rural tradition in which specially bred roosters fight to the death while spectators place wagers on the outcome. For years, state lawmakers resisted animal rights activists' efforts to outlaw it, but relented this year on the condition that the prohibition take effect next year.