In New Bedford, Massachusetts on Tuesday, the state Division of Professional Licensure closed down a downtown barber shop after animal control officers found evidence that the shop's owner, William Camacho, was engaging in ritualistic animal sacrifice there. According to the New Bedford Standard-Times, Camacho is a practitioner of Palo Mayombe. A routine fire and building inspection turned up two chickens and four roosters (one dead) in cages next to a religious altar in the barber shop's basement. Camacho says he does not sacrifice the animals at the barber shop, but only at ceremonies in rural settings.
UPDATE: According to New Bedford's health director, the barber shop was ordered closed because of the health problems that could result from fecal matter found on the basement floor where the animals were located. The inspection was prompted by an anonymous complaint that roosters were heard crowing. (Standard-Times, Aug. 18).
