The VHS is raising concerns about transparency and accountability at the Stampede and about a recent update to Alberta’s Animal Protection Act that was passed without public consultation. The change makes it harder to protect animals used in rodeo and chuckwagon races from distress.
In summary:
- Following another controversial year for the Calgary Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon races, the VHS reached out to the Stampede Board of Directors and Executive Management team requesting an update on this year’s animal incidents, injuries and any deaths.
- To date, the VHS has still not received a response or acknowledgement from the Calgary Stampede.
- The 2026 Calgary Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon races saw several incidents, including a chuckwagon collision resulting in the serious injury of a horse.
- The Stampede also denied a media pass to We Animals Media, an animal photojournalism organization, further limiting public transparency around their treatment of animals.
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The 2026 Calgary Stampede ended on July 13th with a confirmed serious injury and three other concerning animal incidents.
Despite reaching out to Stampede officials to confirm the status of these animals, the Vancouver Humane Society has still not heard back.
On July 19th, the Vancouver Humane Society wrote directly to the Calgary Stampede to inquire about several concerning incidents:
The VHS requested that Calgary Stampede organizers respond with the status of these animals and the number of animal injuries and fatalities at the 2026 rodeo and chuckwagon races by July 27th. That deadline has passed with no response or acknowledgment from the Stampede.
The Stampede’s lack of transparency conflicts with their own welfare messaging.
The Calgary Stampede regularly emphasizes its commitment to animal welfare. But being transparent about their animal welfare practices would mean providing honest, timely information when animals are hurt, especially when those incidents are captured on video and witnessed by thousands of people.
The public deserves to know what happened to these animals so they can make informed decisions about attending risky animal entertainment events.
Meanwhile, Alberta law change weakens protections for animals used in rodeo.
The silence from the Stampede comes at a troubling moment for animals used in rodeo and chuckwagon racing in Alberta.
Earlier this year, when Alberta’s Animal Protection Act was being updated with a new loophole for animal sporting events, the VHS and supporters wrote to Alberta decision-makers to raise concerns.
A proposed change allowed distress caused to animals in sporting activities, as long as those activities followed “reasonable and generally accepted practices.”
The amendment that passed explicitly names chuckwagon racing and rodeo, exempting them from distress protections that other animals receive. It also makes it an offence to make “frivolous or vexatious” complaints to law enforcement.
There was no public comment period on this significant change.
As journalist Jessica Scott-Reid recently wrote in the Toronto Star, this new law amendment leaves animals more vulnerable and will likely discourage the public from making complaints.
“The legislature didn’t write that exemption because these events are safe. It wrote that exemption because it knew they weren’t, and it chose to protect the rodeo industry instead of the safety of these horses”
said Alexandra Pester, a Calgary-based lawyer with Animal Justice.
Your voice can help ensure animals’ voices and well-being aren’t left behind.
Below are three important actions you can take today for animals used in the Calgary Stampede’s rodeo and chuckwagon events.
1. Use the quick-action tool below to contact decision-makers
2. Keep the momentum going by signing the #SayNoToRodeo pledge
3. Contact the Calgary Stampede directly using their public contact form to share your concerns and request an update on the animal incidents at this year’s event
