Information Unit on Rodeos

But do rodeo animals really get hurt? No matter how you look at it, rodeos Yes, the worst injuries happen to cause animals pain and suffering. To get bulls to buck wildly a flank CALVES ON THE RANGE young animals such as calves In recent years some rodeos have strap is tightened around the " (about 2-3 months old) and steers made an effort to modify or exclude Normally calves are born in bull’s sensitive mid-section as the (older calves still with their mothers) some events to limit the pain and the early spring and spend bull leaves the chute. in the roping events. Every year injuries suffered by the animals. seven to nine months nursing hundreds of animals get broken limbs Despite these changes, animals from their mothers and and necks and suffer sprains and continue to get hurt, and fear and feeding on grass. Cattle are bruises. Over the last four years 23 anxiety are still a big part of the show. gentle, social animals that rodeo animals have died in Canada. form tight bonds within their The most recent in BC was in 2004 herd. It is within the herd when a steer was killed in a roping that cattle feel safe; when event at the Cloverdale Rodeo – the separated from the group largest BC rodeo – when his neck was broken. they feel anxious, often vocalizing to find each other. Kids as young as five ride in the Mutton (sheep) event. Are rodeos just harmless entertainment or do they involve animal cruelty? Each year more than 1,000 rodeos others. There is even an event in other cruel techniques, at some take place across Canada and the which kids ride sheep. Some people rodeos handlers use small electric United States. The events include suggest that the only real danger in prods that shock the animals so they In the Wild Milking event, teams of two bull riding, bareback bronc riding, rodeos is to the cowboys who can buck harder, or so that the calves cowboys charge a herd of cows. As the frantic steer wrestling, team steer roping, get hurt falling from bulls or get their run terrified out of chutes. Other cows scatter, one cowboy lassos a cow. calf roping, horse barrel racing, fingers caught in ropes, etc. But techniques include twisting the He then jumps down and grabs the cow’s chuckwagon races and several what about the animals? calves’ tails to make them run out of head – twisting it to stop the cow, while the chute quicker, putting fingers up his partner milks the animal. Rodeos rely on cattle acting a calf’s nose to control the animal, # stressed and afraid. The harder the and using spurs to jab horses’ flanks animals buck and the faster they run (below) to get them to run faster. to escape the cowboys, the more exciting the event is to the audience. Cattle are one of the most docile creatures on earth and so rodeo handlers use some special techniques to get them to “perform.” BC SPCA’S POSITION Devices that hurt and irritate the In the Team Steer Roping event steers are chased and ON RODEOS animals are used to make bulls and are lassoed by two cowboys. One lassos the head and the !The SPCA does not support events horses buck wildly. Look closely at other the two back feet. where animals may suffer from the bull riding and you will see a The intent is to stop the animal by pulling in opposite pain, injury or distress just for flank strap around the waist of the directions stretching out the steer. The first team to fill their cup wins. entertainment. Rodeos pose a high bull. This strap is tightened as the risk of animals getting injured or bull leaves the stall causing him to even killed. The SPCA recognizes buck wildly to try to get it off. They the long tradition of rodeos do the same to get the horses to and would like to see a phasing out buck as well. The Barrel Racing is all about of events that cause the greatest speed, and the women riders urge distress to animals. While many rodeo association rules their horses on by jabbing them in restrict the use of shock devices and the side with their spurred boots. Visit our website for more back- ground information on rodeos – www.spca.bc.ca/kids. But do rodeo animals really get hurt? No matter how you look at it, rodeos Yes, the worst injuries happen to cause animals pain and suffering. To get bulls to buck wildly a flank CALVES ON THE RANGE young animals such as calves In recent years some rodeos have strap is tightened around the " (about 2-3 months old) and steers made an effort to modify or exclude Normally calves are born in bull’s sensitive mid-section as the (older calves still with their mothers) some events to limit the pain and the early spring and spend bull leaves the chute. in the roping events. Every year injuries suffered by the animals. seven to nine months nursing hundreds of animals get broken limbs Despite these changes, animals from their mothers and and necks and suffer sprains and continue to get hurt, and fear and feeding on grass. Cattle are bruises. Over the last four years 23 anxiety are still a big part of the show. gentle, social animals that rodeo animals have died in Canada. form tight bonds within their The most recent in BC was in 2004 herd. It is within the herd when a steer was killed in a roping that cattle feel safe; when event at the Cloverdale Rodeo – the separated from the group largest BC rodeo – when his neck was broken. they feel anxious, often vocalizing to find each other. Kids as young as five ride in the Mutton (sheep) event. Are rodeos just harmless entertainment or do they involve animal cruelty? Each year more than 1,000 rodeos others. There is even an event in other cruel techniques, at some take place across Canada and the which kids ride sheep. Some people rodeos handlers use small electric United States. The events include suggest that the only real danger in prods that shock the animals so they In the Wild Milking event, teams of two bull riding, bareback bronc riding, rodeos is to the cowboys who can buck harder, or so that the calves cowboys charge a herd of cows. As the frantic steer wrestling, team steer roping, get hurt falling from bulls or get their run terrified out of chutes. Other cows scatter, one cowboy lassos a cow. calf roping, horse barrel racing, fingers caught in ropes, etc. But techniques include twisting the He then jumps down and grabs the cow’s chuckwagon races and several what about the animals? calves’ tails to make them run out of head – twisting it to stop the cow, while the chute quicker, putting fingers up his partner milks the animal. Rodeos rely on cattle acting a calf’s nose to control the animal, # stressed and afraid. The harder the and using spurs to jab horses’ flanks animals buck and the faster they run (below) to get them to run faster. to escape the cowboys, the more exciting the event is to the audience. Cattle are one of the most docile creatures on earth and so rodeo handlers use some special techniques to get them to “perform.” BC SPCA’S POSITION Devices that hurt and irritate the In the Team Steer Roping event steers are chased and ON RODEOS animals are used to make bulls and are lassoed by two cowboys. One lassos the head and the !The SPCA does not support events horses buck wildly. Look closely at other the two back feet. where animals may suffer from the bull riding and you will see a The intent is to stop the animal by pulling in opposite pain, injury or distress just for flank strap around the waist of the directions stretching out the steer. The first team to fill their cup wins. entertainment. Rodeos pose a high bull. This strap is tightened as the risk of animals getting injured or bull leaves the stall causing him to even killed. The SPCA recognizes buck wildly to try to get it off. They the long tradition of rodeos do the same to get the horses to and would like to see a phasing out buck as well. The Barrel Racing is all about of events that cause the greatest speed, and the women riders urge distress to animals. While many rodeo association rules their horses on by jabbing them in restrict the use of shock devices and the side with their spurred boots. Visit our website for more back- ground information on rodeos – www.spca.bc.ca/kids. The topic of whether rodeos are good or bad is controversial. Some people argue that rodeos are a long-time tradition and that there are rules in place that prevent harm to animals. tormenting animals for entertainment is wrong and unnecessary, and that there is hidden cruelty as well. Rodeo cowboys need to do a lot of practice long before they do public performances.Others say that Don’t attend the rodeo in your community. this? Rodeos will end if people stop going. questionsDo your before own making research up youron rodeos mind. and ask lots of Tell your friends and classmates about why you think rodeos suck! The topic of rodeos would make If you don’t like the way animals are treated at a great class speech or debate.

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