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Florida man found with 36 roosters arrested for breeding, training them to fight, police say

A man was arrested with 36 roosters who were being trained and bred for fighting. (Photo: WFTV.com)

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Dixie Ruzzo said her quiet county road was anything but, with dozens of roosters next door.

"In the morning, and then in the afternoon, at night. That's all you heard," she said.

The commotion prompted suspicion.

"I said, 'I think they're having cock fights over there,'" Ruzzo said.

After a two-month investigation, deputies arrested Jose Urueta-Guillen for allegedly breeding and training roosters how to fight.

Animal Fighting Arrest On May 24, 2018 at approximately 8:30 AM, members of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office Special...

Posted by Sumter County Sheriff's Office-Florida on Friday, May 25, 2018

Animal Services rescued 36 roosters. The animals had to be separated into separate pens so they wouldn’t kill each other.

“I think that's terrible. That's not what that rooster was for,” Ruzzo said.

Urueta-Guillen is now facing numerous animal abuse charges.

Some of the roosters had serious injuries, but Animal Services said staff will nurse them back to health.