Cover image: Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.
Update
The Alberta government passed the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22). The update includes some meaningful changes to protect animals, but sadly, the Bill passed with an exemption that leaves animals vulnerable to distress during sporting activities. Please see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help animals used in rodeo and other sporting events.
- Alberta is proposing its first major update to animal protection laws in more than 20 years.
- The changes signal a growing recognition that stronger protections are needed to prevent animal suffering and hold offenders accountable.
- While some proposed changes in the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22) include meaningful improvements to be celebrated, animals used in sporting events, such as rodeos, are left vulnerable.
Alberta residents: Learn more below, then email your MLA and Alberta Minister of Agriculture, Minister RJ Sigurdson (AGRIC.Minister@gov.ab.ca), to express your concern and seek stronger protections for animals used in sporting activities.
Current laws & proposed changes
Under the existing Animal Protection Act in Alberta, which has had no major updates in more than 20 years, it is illegal to cause an animal to be in distress, with exemptions for some animal use industries.
Now, Alberta is proposing a major update. This signals important progress—but one of the proposed changes would allow distress resulting from the use of animals in a sporting activity that is carried out in accordance with “reasonable and generally accepted practices”, expanding the types of industries exempted.
This concerning change could allow sporting industries that use animals to effectively make their own rules and allow harmful practices that cause significant suffering, such as in rodeo events.
This change may also make it harder to hold people accountable or enforce rules while setting a risky example that other jurisdictions might follow. Removing the proposed exemption for allowing distress in sporting activities is a critical step toward ensuring animals are protected.
If you are a resident of Alberta, or have friends and family who are residents, share this information and contact your MLA and the Minister of Agriculture, who is sponsoring the Bill, to request changes to better protect animals. The legislation is moving quickly! Don’t hesitate to speak up for animals.
A persistent loophole
Vague language, like “reasonable and generally accepted practices” often allows industries to set their own standards when no external standards exist, even when those practices may cause harm. It may also limit enforcement action when there are no clear guidelines on what a generally accepted practice is.
Animals used in sporting activities should not be subjected to distress or cruel practices for entertainment. Closing this loophole by removing the exemption for causing distress in sporting activities is a critical step toward ensuring animals are protected.
Limited public input
While the province consulted with a range of stakeholders, including industry representatives and enforcement agencies, there was no formal public comment period for the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22). This has left many concerned individuals in a rush to contact their MLAs to request amendments before the bill progresses further.
The legislation is still in early stages, and there remains an opportunity to strengthen protections for animals. However, the timeline for public input is unclear, and the process appears to be moving quickly.
Don’t hesitate! Contact your MLA and Minister Sigurdson and express your concerns before the legislation progresses and amendments can no longer be made.
Tips for requesting amendments by email
To request amendments to the Animal Protection Amendment Act (Bill 22), consider:
- Raising concern about vague exemptions like “reasonable and generally accepted practices” that can result in significant animal suffering.
- Requesting the removal of the proposed distress exemptions for animals used in sporting activities.
- Calling for clear, enforceable protections that address the risks associated with rodeo and other animal-based sporting activities.
- For example, prohibiting the most dangerous and inhumane rodeo events, handling practices, and tools that cause animal suffering.
As the bill moves forward, decision-makers have an opportunity to build on these improvements and deliver legislation that fully reflects the public’s expectation for strong, enforceable animal protection laws.
By contacting your MLA or encouraging friends or family who are Alberta residents to do so, you are taking direct action to strengthen protections for animals.
