This book looks at the relationship of the cock and cockfighting in Britain from the Enlightenment through the modern era, showing the societal and culture changes that affected that relationship. It examines the evolution of the cock in religion and sport, the evolution of cockfighting as a sport, the changing culture of pastimes, and the historical development of humankind’s relationship with animals and the philosophy of cruelty to animals and their rights.

Alexander Sutherland is an honorary senior teaching fellow in the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition at the University of Aberdeen, UK.