Evans police have arrested three men on animal fighting and cruelty charges after authorities discovered several injured roosters and euthanized 28 roosters.

Luis Mosquedo-Razo, 31; Pablo Cortez-Diaz, 27; and Gambino Villegas-Delgado, 52, have each been arrested on felony charges of animal fighting and cruelty to animals. Cortez-Diaz was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Police were called Friday night on a complaint about an animal running at large, according to a Monday news release by Detective Shawn Holmes.

When a community services officer arrived at the home in the 3700 block of Burlington Avenue he discovered an apparent illegal animal-fighting operation.

Numerous roosters had been physically altered and some were injured, the news release says.

Officers consulted with veterinarians about the possibility of re-establishing the roosters in a “tranquil setting.”

But the veterinarians determined that the roosters had been bred to be vicious and 28 roosters were euthanized, Holmes wrote.

During a search of the property, officers found marijuana and a small amount of methamphetamine.