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The truth about bull-riding

Tormenting animals for entertainment is unacceptable.

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  1. Why do bulls buck?
  2. Physical harm to bulls
  3. Injuries to humans
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Earlier this year, we were dismayed to see two events staged in Abbotsford that saw bulls tormented and taunted for the sake of entertainment.

One was an “extreme rodeo” event held at Abbotsford’s Exhibition Park, some of which can be seen in this video.  It’s clear that the bulls want no part of this sad spectacle. VHS complained to Abbotsford City Council, which owns the venue, but received no response.

The other was a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event at the Abbotsford Centre, a venue also owned by the City of Abbotsford.  Again, bulls were exploited for human amusement, obviously distressed as they bucked wildly to get unwanted riders off their backs.  In addition, they were exposed to loud fireworks despite the fact that sudden noise is known to cause distress in cattle.

Bull-riding has become popular in recent years, as fans see it as a sensational contest between “man and beast.”  Few people feel empathy for the bulls, as they weigh us much as 2000 pounds and are seen as ferocious and powerful.  PBR and rodeo promoters say the bulls are star “athletes” and are born to buck, even though they have no choice but to participate.

Why do bulls buck?

The truth is that the bulls are selectively bred for a predisposition to buck, which means they are especially sensitive to any negative stimulus, such as the riders they are trying to buck off. This is thought to be an evolutionary response to a predator jumping on the bull’s back.  In other words, the bull feels it is under attack and is fighting for its life.  The wild bucking seen at these events does not occur outside the arena.

In addition to being mounted by the unwanted rider, a “flank strap” is cinched tight around the bull’s torso just before it is released into the arena.  This causes the bull discomfort, creating yet further negative stimulus to induce the bull to buck harder.  One study on bucking bulls puts it very clearly: “The purpose of the flank rope is to produce an annoyance to the bull.”

A bull showing “eye white” – a sign of fear and stress

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While the rodeo and bull-riding industries deny bulls are suffering, it is clear to any objective observer that the bulls’ wild bucking is an unnatural, negative experience.  One indicator of the bulls’ distress is the presence “eye white” (an increase in the size of the white of the eye surrounding the pupil), which can be seen in photos of bull-riding events.  Eye white has been identified as sign of fear and distress in cattle. One 2017 study states: “The work to date suggests that eye white percentage is a meaningful indicator of emotion, with more eye whites indicating fear and frustration and less eye white associated with positive feelings.”

Although it is difficult to see what happens behind the scenes in the chutes before a bull is released, there have been instances at rodeos where bulls have been kicked, had their tails twisted or have been electrically shocked – all to ensure bulls leave the chutes angry, fearful and bucking wildly. VHS exposed the use of an electric shock device at the Chilliwack rodeo’s bull-riding event in 2018.

While bulls can exhibit aggressive behaviour, they are not the inherently “mean” or “ornery” animals described by PBR promoters.  Their levels of aggressive behaviour are determined by a mix of breeding and environment. For example, if they are isolated from the herd and put in an unfamiliar setting they are likely to be more aggressive.  Otherwise, aggressive behaviour is manifested when bulls are provoked – such as being mounted by an unwanted rider or stressed by a flank strap.

Bucking bulls are also “trained” through the use of dummies, which are metal weights placed on their backs and released when they buck their hardest, thus conditioning the bull to buck harder to gain relief from the distress caused by the weight.

Physical harm to bulls

There is evidence that bucking bulls may suffer physical damage from the events they are forced to participate in.  A 2017 study states that: “Results indicated bucking bulls were more likely than nonbucking bulls to develop horn and sinus disorders and musculoskeletal disorders of the vertebral region and pelvic limbs.”

While there are no independent statistics on bull injuries, there are certainly instances of bucking bulls suffering catastrophic injuries, such as in this video.

Injuries to humans

Although not an animal welfare issue, it is well known that bull-riding causes numerous injuries to human participants.  A 2007 research paper comparing injury rates in various sports found that bull-riding had an injury rate 10 times greater than American football.  The report concluded: “As a result of these analyses, it is a simple matter to conclude that there is a universal difference in the injury rates between bull riding and most other sports; and these authors, therefore, are compelled to declare the sport of bull riding to be the most dangerous organised sport in the world.” An earlier study suggests about 10 per cent of bull-riding injuries are concussions.

The PBR glorifies the danger of bull-riding, even producing a videos of the worst “wrecks” at its events.  Many boys and young men are drawn to the macho culture, money and adrenalin rush of bull-riding, despite the high risk of long-term physical harm, including potential brain damage.

Take action

Despite being inhumane to bulls, as well as unduly dangerous to humans, bull-riding has grown in popularity.  VHS is urging the public to complain to the venues that host PBR and rodeo bull-riding events.

Donate to protect animals

Tell the Calgary Stampede to end inhumane rodeo events

Learn more about rodeo cruelty

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Vancouver Humane Society, Animal Justice warn of possible violations at Kelowna bull riding event

https://www.kelownacapnews.com/local-news/animal-rights-groups-warn-of-possible-violations-at-kelowna-bull-riding-event-7444357 Animal Justice and the Vancouver Humane Society are raising concerns about a bull riding event scheduled for Prospera Place in Kelowna on July 18. “The groups have alerted RCMP and the BC SPCA about potential violations of B.C.’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Canada’s Criminal Code during the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event.”…

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On Giving Tuesday you can fight factory farm cruelty and help rescued animals

The Vancouver Humane Society and The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary are partnering to raise funds to help animals now and in the future

Every year in Canada, more than 800 million animals are raised on cruel factory farms before they are sent for slaughter. They suffer from confinement and from being denied the chance to live and behave naturally.  Yet science has shown that each animal, just like your pet cat or dog, has his or her own unique personality. That’s why we say every animal is someone, not something.

This year, on Giving Tuesday, November 27th, we are again partnering with The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary to make life better for farmed animals.  Giving Tuesday is the annual opportunity to put your dollars toward a cause that’s near and dear to your heart – this year, we hope you’ll make it the plight of animals on factory farms.  All donations will be split between both charities.

At VHS, we work year-round to draw public and media attention to the treatment of farmed animals. Our Go Veg campaign encourages people to try a plant-based diet, which reduces the demand that drives factory farming. We’ve launched our Meatless Monday initiative in 17 Metro Vancouver secondary and post-secondary schools, helping to introduce a compassionate, healthy and sustainable diet to the next generation.  And our rodeo campaign is exposing cruelty and showing that “livestock” are not just commodities to be brutalized for entertainment, but sentient animals capable of feeling physical and emotional pain.

Our partners at The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary have shown how rescued farmed animals, free of cruelty and confinement, can flourish as individuals. The sanctuary provides a forever home for all types of animals where they can live out their entire lives in a beautiful, natural setting where they are treated with kindness and respect. Visiting Happy Herd and meeting the animals can be a life-changing experience. You will quickly see them as “friends, not food.”

On November 27th, you can donate directly to our joint appeal, but you can also help by supporting the generous (and cruelty-free) local businesses who are partnering with VHS and Happy Herd. On Giving Tuesday, they will be launching a variety of special offers and promotions, all raising funds to help us help animals.  Watch our website and social media channels for updates as we get closer to November 27th – or sign up for our action alerts.

Giving Tuesday is your chance to make life better for farmed animals.  Don’t miss it!

 

 

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Make sure it’s a safe and Happy Halloween for animals

 

Halloween is a time for fun but it can be a difficult time for animals.  Here are some things you can do that will help ensure animals enjoy the occasion too.

Keep animals inside – The noise from fireworks, trick-or-treaters and parties can be stressful for animals, so please ensure they are kept inside on Halloween. It’s also a good idea to ensure pets are wearing identification at all times in case they get out.  Pets should also be kept away from the front door, as they may find a constant stream of noisy visitors threatening. 

In Vancouver, the City makes a family fireworks permit available from October 25 to 31, to discharge fireworks on Halloween. VHS would like to see a complete ban on fireworks in the city, which not only adversely affects pets, but also urban wildlife. You can sign a petition for a ban here.

Keep Halloween treats away from pets – Candy should be kept secure and away from pets, especially chocolate, which is very toxic to dogs.  Sugary candy, raisins and some nuts are also toxic, as are some artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol.  Even ingested wrappers can cause bowel obstructions.

Be careful with decorations – Materials like tinsel, ribbon and string are dangerous for pets, as they may cause severe injury to the intestinal tract if swallowed, so keep decorations away from them. Be careful with strings of lights and extension cords to avoid risk of pets getting an electric shock. Remember that pets can knock things over, so keep Jack-O-Lanterns and other decorations with candles out of their way.

Don’t go overboard with pet costumes – While pets in costumes can be adorable, they can also make animals uncomfortable and stressed. Watch for signs of anxiety or distress and don’t force anything on a reluctant pet. If your pet doesn’t mind a costume, make sure it doesn’t significantly limit movement, hearing, eyesight, or the ability to eat food or drink water.

Remember that not every animal likes to party – Keep an eye on your pets at parties, or better yet, keep them in a separate room.  Noisy crowds, strangers, loud music, drugs & alcohol, food falling on the floor – all can present risks and create a stressful environment for animals.

Avoid “pumpkin patches” that display animals – In recent years, pumpkin patches and corn mazes on local farms have become Halloween attractions.  Some incorporate petting zoos, putting farmed animals on display and allowing the public to interact with them.  This can be stressful for farmed animals, as they cannot escape unwanted attention.  It’s worth remembering that these animals are not pets, are being displayed for profit and may later be sent for slaughter like all farmed animals. It’s a good idea to call the venue first and ask whether animals are part of the attraction and under what circumstances.

Try a plant-based Halloween – There are lots of ideas and recipes online to make your Halloween plant-based and cruelty-free.  Here are a few helpful links:
Halloween items at Vegan Supply
Recipes from Choose Veg
Recipes from VNutrition
Vegan Halloween candy guide from Cooking Light
The Food Empowerment Project has a free app listing vegan chocolate suppliers

Give your leftover pumpkins to an animal sanctuary – Sanctuaries for farmed animals can often use leftover produce, including pumpkins, for feed. The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary and the Little Oink Bank Pig Sanctuary are two local groups you can contact to see what their hungry animals need.

 

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This year, have a compassionate, plant-based Thanksgiving

Try these plant-based ideas for Thanksgiving Dinner

Every year in Canada, 20 million turkeys are slaughtered, with many ending up on dinner tables for Thanksgiving.

Most turkeys are bred for fast growth, which causes them to be top-heavy, leading to painful bone deformities and lameness. Most are raised in cramped conditions on factory farms, where they suffer boredom and frustration because they lack the space to express natural behaviours. They are also subjected to painful beak trimming and toe trimming without pain medication.

A plant-based Thanksgiving is a compassionate alternative to eating turkeys or other animals for the celebration. The good news is that there are plenty of  cruelty-free options and resources for a meat-free holiday.  Here are our suggestions on how to enjoy a compassionate Thanksgiving dinner in Vancouver.

A great option is the Annual Compassionate Thanksgiving Potluck Celebration on October 8th, which this year is being hosted by Vancouver’s Meatless Meetup and Vegans of UBC. Proceeds from this family-friendly event will go to cover costs and to support Earthsave Canada’s school talks program.

If your budget allows some fine dining, Vancouver’s upscale plant-based restaurant, The Acorn, is offering an ‘Everything but the Bird Thanksgiving Feast’ on October 7th and 8th, which it says will be an “indulgent, wildly seasonal” three-course dinner for $45 per person with optional wine pairings.

But if, like most people, you plan to prepare your own holiday dinner, there’s no shortage of alternatives to turkey.  There are a number of great meatless roasts available from Vancouver’s Vegan Supply, including offerings from Gardein, Field Roast and Tofurky.

And, of course, there are plenty of online recipes and suggestions for a plant-based Thanksgiving.  The Oh She Glows recipe website offers lots of ideas, as does The Food Network and even this Toronto yoga centre’s site.

Plant-based choices for special celebrations are increasingly common, making it easy to enjoy a cruelty-free holiday feast. 

Have a happy – and compassionate – Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Don’t miss Capilano VegFest on September 27!

Great plant-based food. New vegan products. Compelling speakers.

Delicious plant-based food is just one of the reasons not to miss the first ever Capilano VegFest on September 27 at Capilano University. You’ll also find amazing cruelty-free, vegan products and services – and you’ll have an opportunity to learn more about living a compassionate lifestyle from expert speakers.

The event will feature 20 vendors, including some of Vancouver’s favourite vegan hotspots like Blue Heron Cheese, Nora’s ice cream, Willow’s Wax Bar, and Herbaland.

There will also be 10 presentations throughout the day on intriguing topics such as how the animal agriculture industry markets itself; what it’s like to be a professional vegan athlete; and how to raise a healthy, vegan family. Speakers include notable content creators, athletes, and other local vegan personalities, such as Anna Pippus, an animal rights lawyer and vegan mother; Geoff Regier, a former undercover investigator for Mercy for Animals; and even a 12-year-old passionate vegan advocate, Zoom the Vegan Kid.

You’ll have the chance to win several door prizes including a variety of vegan snacks and other foods from local vendors; gift-cards to vegan restaurants in Vancouver such as Meet, Chickpea, Virtuous Pie, and Heirloom; a signed copy of television host Lauren Toyota’s cookbook “Vegan Comfort Classics”; and several cruelty-free beauty and self-care items. 

The VegFest is being organized by the Capilano Vegan Club, whose president, Maclayne Simone, hopes the idea spreads: “There was all this culture surrounding sustainability and kindness at Capilano, but close to no initiatives involving veganism,” Simone says. “We wanted to change that. All summer, a group of a few women have worked so hard to bring this event to life and really kickstart the vegan community at Capilano and motivate others to host similar events at their schools. Our goal is to approach veganism in a way that is inspiring and to demonstrate how easy it is to make such a huge difference in the world!” 

The Vancouver Humane Society is honoured to sponsor Capilano VegFest because we know it will make difference.  Make sure you’re there so you can too!

Capilano VegFest
Thursday Sept 27, 2018
11:30am – 4:00pm
Capilano University’s
Birch Building

 

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Best way to improve chicken welfare? Don’t eat chicken.

The meat and livestock industry has been under sustained pressure to improve animal welfare but sometimes their responses to that pressure, even when genuine, can create complicated new problems.

Recently, the Globe & Mail published an article on the challenges of producing “slow growth” chickens. It described the efforts by producers to address the consequences of selective breeding in the poultry industry, which has led to fast-growing chickens with horrific health problems.

Chickens raised in the 1950s weighed about two pounds when full grown. Now chickens weigh more than nine pounds.  Breeding for unnatural fast growth and more breast meat has created birds that suffer from painful broken bones, lameness, and heart disease.

The Globe piece details how industry, agricultural scientists and animal welfare experts are trying to produce a “better bird” that will appeal to consumers, have better health, be profitable to raise and be environmentally sustainable.  This is proving to be challenging, as slower-growth birds require substantially more water and feed (because they live longer), which means more impact on the environment and higher production costs.  Considerable resources are now being devoted to solving this conundrum.

While any effort to improve animal welfare is laudable, it’s hard to avoid the obvious question: Why not just stop eating chicken?  The advantages of switching to a plant-based diet are clear and well-documented.  For animals, lower demand for meat means less factory farming and slaughter. For the environment it means less deforestation, lower greenhouse gas emissions and less demand for land, water and other resources.  For human health, it means fewer chronic health problems linked to meat consumption.

The resources currently being devoted to producing “better” factory-farmed animals could be devoted to developing a new, plant-based food system.  Science funding could be applied to research into alternatives to animal protein, improvements to protein crops such as pulses and ways to use these crops in new food products.  Government could support public information campaigns to promote a plant-based diet, help plant-based start-ups and invest in research and development to underpin a new agricultural economy that no longer depends on inhumanely incarcerating and slaughtering billions of animals.

To a small degree, this is already happening.  The new Canada Food Guide is expected to put more emphasis on the benefits of a plant-based diet.  The federal government has started to fund major initiatives to develop plant-based foods.  And polls show many Canadians are open to reducing meat consumption.  The opportunity is there, but is the political will?

While a transition to a plant-based food system faces many barriers and will take time, it is the simplest and most effective way to address the unacceptable consequences of our current cruel, unhealthy and environmentally disastrous food system. 

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Wild Trails Coffee in North Vancouver goes vegan

Wild Trails Coffee is a family-run coffee shop based in North Vancouver. VHS spoke with this mother-daughter team about their decision to make the coffee shop fully vegan and their commitment to helping protect animal welfare, the environment and public health. 

What inspired you to open Wild Trails Coffee and what do you think sets you apart from other coffee shops? 

We’re a mother-daughter team and my mom opened this shop about 30 years ago. It used to be called Mothers Herbs. When I became involved about five years ago I wanted to focus on coffees and a lot of inspiration came from my love of hiking. I spent a year working on our coffee syrups, perfecting them using real organic ingredients and no chemicals or fake added sugars.

As a business owner I didn’t want to cut corners and care only about profit. You can be a business that does well while caring about the Earth, animals and people, and that’s what we do at Wild Trails Coffee and what we’re about. We are a business that cares about doing our part to make the world a better place and will go the extra mile for people, animals and the planet.

You recently posted online about the shop’s decision to ditch dairy and go fully vegan – can you tell us about the motivation behind that decision?

I’ve been vegan for a long time now and it just never felt right using dairy, so my mom and I decided to replace it with dairy-free alternatives in the shop and now our shop is 100% vegan! We didn’t think so many people would care, but we were blown away by the support and we knew we made the right choice.

You also talk about the shop’s commitment to sustainability on your website – can you tell us about that?

We work hard to reduce our environmental footprint. All of our cups, straws and lids are compostable and we also compost everything we can within the shop. We work with a company to recycle the rest and even go through our garbage at the end of the day to make sure everything that can be recycled is.

What are your most popular items?

Our specialty coffee drinks, like our Wedgemount Lake Vanilla Latte and Elsay Lake Pumpkin Spice Latte are among our most popular items. We use real pumpkin and vanilla bean for our syrups. Our smoothies are very popular as well and we don’t use any ice, just frozen organic fruit. We also use water kefir as the base for our smoothies, which is a dairy-free probiotic that’s made in-house with spring water collected weekly from a local spring.

Elsay Lake Pumpkin Spice Latte

Wedgemount Lake Vanilla Latte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Do you have any helpful advice for other restaurants and businesses who might be considering going vegan?

Go for it! We need more businesses to stand up for animals and as business owners who care about these issues we recognized we were in a position to do more. There’s growing support and more people are embracing veganism every day! It’s also a great way to educate people about the impact of our food choices and to lead by example.

Wild Trails Coffee is located at 134 East 14th Street, North Vancouver. You can reach them at 604-988-4372 or follow them on facebook and instagram. 

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CFIA releases “What we heard” report from transport regulations consultation

Canada’s farmed animal transport regulations are extremely archaic (dating back to 1977) and VHS, along with other animal protection organizations and concerned citizens, have long advocated for stronger regulations to better protect animal welfare.

It’s been almost a year and half since the federal government held a public consultation on its proposed amendments to the transport regulations. Disappointingly, not only were the improvements being proposed very minor, but to date the final regulations still haven’t been released.

Just recently, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) finally released its “What We Heard” report, summarizing the feedback from the public consultation. This report will be used to inform the development of the final amendments.

As heat waves continue across the country, so do the trucks transporting farmed animals long distances with no protection from the weather. This issue has made headlines this summer, with footage of overcrowded and overheated pigs in transport trucks making recent news in British Columbia and Manitoba. Shockingly, in the Manitoba case the CFIA said the load was in compliance with the regulations, and that the animals were not overcrowded for the weather conditions at the time. This despite a thermometer reading of nearly 40 C and evidence of overcrowding and heat stress.

As efforts to finalize the amended transport regulations are underway, please join us in keeping the pressure on the federal government to prioritize the release of significantly stronger transport regulations that are evidence-based, free from industry influence and that will prevent the senseless suffering showcased time and time again in transport investigations.

Take action by sending an email to:

Lawrence MacAulay, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food – lawrence.macaulay@parl.gc.ca

Your Member of Parliament – www.ourcommons.ca/parliamentarians/en/constituencies/FindMP

Dr. Cornelius Kiley, National Manager, CFIA – cornelius.kiley@canada.ca

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Handsworth student wins award for Meatless Monday efforts

Handsworth Secondary student, Meghan Little, was recently presented with a Student Recognition Award for her efforts to bring Meatless Monday to her school. Meghan’s peers and teachers nominated her for the award and even put together a video highlighting her work. The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) was honoured to be in attendance at the awards ceremony to celebrate Meghan’s success.

VHS Program Coordinator, Emily Pickett, first met Meghan at Handsworth’s Be Aware Fair, where VHS was tabling and talking to students about our Meatless Monday program. Meghan was keen to bring the initiative to Handsworth and so she worked with VHS, the school’s Environmental Club (of which she was a member) and the food service provider to get more veg options on the menu.

Handsworth’s Meatless Monday initiative was successfully launched on November 20, 2017 and Meghan and fellow Environmental Club members have been raising awareness of the benefits of going meatless and encouraging students and staff to opt for the Meatless Monday special ever since!

Meghan’s leadership and dedication to protecting animal welfare, the environment and public health were instrumental in improving student access to plant-based foods at multiple North Vancouver secondary schools. Meghan’s efforts inspired students at other schools to get involved and ultimately helped contribute to the recent commitment by local food service provider, Amaga Food, to expand on Meatless Monday by transitioning 20 per cent of the regular menu to plant-based at five North Vancouver secondary schools (Handsworth, Sutherland, Argyle, Windsor and Seycove secondary), starting this fall. This means students and staff will have access to humane, healthy and sustainable plant-based options every day!

“It’s exciting to see all the positive changes at Handsworth,” said Meghan. “The 20 per cent increase in plant-based options shows how open our community is to change and progress. I’m hoping our efforts for Meatless Monday will inspire other students to follow their passions and to make positive changes as well.”

This achievement would not have been possible without the help of Meghan, Handsworth’s Environmental Club and the incredibly dedicated students involved at the other participating North Vancouver secondary schools. As a grade 12 graduate, Meghan leaves behind a meaningful and inspirational legacy at Handsworth and is excited to attend the University of British Columbia in the fall, where we look forward to continuing to support her efforts to spread the “go veg” message!

Learn more about Meatless Monday and donate today to help us improve access to plant-based options at more schools and institutions.

You can also check out a recent feature on Meghan’s efforts in the North Shore News!

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What the Chilliwack Fair could learn from other country fairs


Facts show country fairs are successful without cruel rodeo events

The Chilliwack Fair refuses to eliminate cruel rodeo events, stubbornly ignoring all the moral arguments and photographic evidence showing that its annual rodeo causes animal suffering.

The fair, operated by the Chilliwack Agricultural Society, has ignored pleas from VHS, the BC SPCA, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (Humane Canada) and Animal Justice.  They have ignored polls showing that 66 per cent of B.C. residents are opposed to rodeos. 

The fair doesn’t seem to care about animal welfare, but are they interested in being successful?  Here’s what happened to some other B.C. country fairs when they agreed to drop or curtail rodeo events.

After a campaign by VHS and Victoria Citizens Against Rodeo Events, the Luxton Fair on Vancouver Island cancelled its rodeo in 2015.  Fears were expressed at the time that the fair would not survive without the rodeo.  But that’s not what happened. The fair not only survived – it thrived. In 2017, a local newspaper quoted a fair organizer saying that despite the lack of a rodeo, “we’re still getting good crowds.”

The same thing happened when the Abbotsford Agrifair cancelled its rodeo in 2016. (also after a VHS campaign).  The Abbotsford News reported that attendance went up after the rodeo was cancelled.

After a long campaign by VHS, the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair dropped four of the worst rodeo events (calf-roping, steer-wrestling, team-roping and wild cow-milking) in 2007.  Again, there were predictions that the fair would suffer. Instead, attendance at the fair has gone from 81,000 in 2004 to 110,000 in 2018 (36%). During the same period, attendance at the remaining rodeo portion of the fair has only increased from19,500 to 21,000 (8%).

The message is clear: Country fairs don’t need cruel rodeo events to be successful.  It’s a message the Chilliwack Fair would be foolish to ignore. 

TAKE ACTION: If you haven’t already done so, please join our effort to convince the Chilliwack Fair’s sponsors to take a stand against rodeo cruelty.