Showing Animals Respect & Kindness (SHARK), a small nonprofit based in Illinois, has spent nearly two decades using drones to expose cockfighting and other forms of animal cruelty that often occur behind high fences or in remote rural areas. With cockfighting illegal in every U.S. state, promoters usually hide their activities, but SHARK’s aerial surveillance has made it increasingly difficult for abusers to operate unnoticed.
Founder Steve Hindi said the organization’s mission is built on documenting abuse and letting the public see the evidence. “I think the way to make things clear for people is to get video documentation or still pictures of whatever you’re concerned about and just let people see for themselves and make up their own mind,” he said.
Since the early 2000s, SHARK has relied on unmanned aerial vehicles and ultralight aircraft to gather visual proof of abusive practices. Hindi said access from the air allows investigators to bypass barriers such as walls, trees and fences. Early efforts involved radio-controlled helicopters, but the program expanded rapidly after the group received a $500,000 grant from the late game-show host and animal-rights advocate Bob Barker, allowing SHARK to purchase its first drone fleet.
Despite initial challenges with unstable cameras and limited flight time, SHARK gradually mastered drone operations. Hindi and an associate were already private pilots, but they had to learn remote aircraft control from the ground up. Their first field mission in 2010 documented a live-pigeon shooting operation, a practice in which shooters target live birds instead of clay pigeons. Hindi described it as appealing to individuals who “just want to kill animals.”
As technology improved, SHARK transitioned to more advanced drones, adopting German-made models before shifting to DJI aircraft when stabilization and camera quality advanced. Today the group operates a range of drones—including Mavics, Matrices and the Matrice 400—tailored to different types of investigations.
SHARK’s drones have exposed a wide range of abuses, from cockfighting to steer-tailing events. One major success involved documenting the illegal hunting of cownose rays in the Chesapeake Bay, where hunters shot the animals with bows during spawning season. SHARK’s footage showed dead rays being dumped back into the water, contradicting claims that the hunters consumed the animals.
The organization also played a key role in the 2022 investigation of a Virginia beagle-breeding and research facility, where drone footage captured dogs in unsanitary outdoor pens. The investigation ultimately resulted in the rescue of 4,000 beagles.
Despite its small size, SHARK’s on-the-ground work has led to the disruption of cockfighting rings in Texas, California and Delaware, as well as live-pigeon shooting events in Pennsylvania. Because it operates nationwide, the group must follow a complex mix of state and federal drone laws. Illinois allows flights over private property, but Texas restricts drone imaging above private land and limits publication of such footage.
SHARK also adheres to federal rules prohibiting drone flights directly over people, both for safety and better visibility. Hindi noted that drones are sometimes shot down by individuals involved in illegal activities. “I doubt there’s any organization in the world that has had as many drones shot down,” he said, recalling an incident in South Carolina where three drones were destroyed in one day.
As a volunteer-driven group, SHARK continues to seek certified drone pilots across the country. “Any drone pilots or even would-be drone pilots out there who want to help animals, get in touch with us,” Hindi said.
