Another horse has died after being seriously injured during the final weekend of the racing season at Hastings Racecourse. Her tragic loss was the fourth fatality of this year’s racing season, with the first occurring less than a month after the season began.
On May 25, a 3-year-old horse named Lizzie’s Rayne sustained a complete fracture of her left hind leg and was euthanized, less than one month into the racing season.
On August 9, a 2-year-old horse named Kiki’s Song of Life sustained a compound fracture in his left front leg during a timed workout and was subsequently euthanized.
On September 6, a 4-year-old horse named Lucky Cowboy suffered a compound fracture to his front leg during a race and was euthanized.
On October 12, a 2-year-old horse named Anstruther suffered a compound fracture to her right hind leg and was euthanized. Her death occurred during the final weekend of the racing season at Hastings.
Last year, eleven horses died at B.C.’s two racecourses –eight at Hastingsand three at Fraser Downs.
The pattern of regular deaths is not the only threat to horses’ well-being in the racing industry. Horses also suffer stress and pain as a result of aversive training and the use of painful tools like whips and bits to tightly control their movements in these risky, fast-paced events.
The VHS continues to encourage the public to not attend horse races and to take the pledge to reflect their concern for horses.
By taking the pledge today, you will reflect your concern about recent race horse fatalities and incidents and to sign up to receive updates on future actions you can take to help horses.
This summer, the VHS and supporters were hard at work advocating to end the suffering of animals in rodeos.
Calgary Stampede
This year’s Calgary Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon races were the deadliest of the past five years, resulting in the deaths of four animals: three horses used in chuckwagon racing and a cow used in steer wrestling.
Media coverage of tragic incidents ensures public transparency
The VHS team closely monitored events to ensure these tragic incidents were tracked and shared with media. Stampede organizers only shared information about animal deaths after the VHS’s team and media contacts made inquiries.
The VHS’s Calgary Stampede campaign ran throughout the summer, reaching millions of people through online messaging, billboards across Calgary, and 43 media broadcasts and articles including on Global News, CTV News, CityNews Calgary, and the CBC.
Sharp increase in opposition to rodeo events in Calgary and across Canada
With the shift in public opinion comes an important opportunity for meaningful change. Decision-makers have previously pushed back on calls to end the rodeo and chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede, citing public support. The new survey results show that support is rapidly dwindling, marking a turning point for the increasingly controversial animal events.
Calling for action from Calgary City Council
The VHS has delivered a report to Calgary City Council outlining welfare concerns, growing public opposition to rodeo events and chuckwagon races, and a recommendation that the City support removing inhumane events from the Stampede program.
Here in B.C., the rodeo season once again saw many concerning incidents of animal suffering. The VHS monitored these events, where video footage revealed animals being dragged around the arena by a rope, thrashing in chutes and becoming trapped in unnatural positions, and being agitated through stressful practices like ear pulling.
The VHS submits cruelty reports for inhumane treatment and apparent rule violations
Videos from the 2024 Bulls Broncs & Barrels in Coombs, British Columbia show a number of serious welfare concerns, including: – Improper use of electric prods – A horse falling and being kicked in the head – Rough handling and deliberate agitation of animals – Visible signs of stress Footage: Jordan Rivers We Animals Media
In one particularly concerning clip from a rodeo in Clinton, a stressed bull resists handlers’ attempts to move him in the pens next to the arena. The clip goes on to show handlers kicking the bull, twisting his tail and using an electric prod on the animal repeatedly, including prodding the animal on the anus.
The VHS submitted an animal cruelty report in response to the incident, which appears to violate rules around electric prod use. The VHS also submitted a cruelty report regarding harsh handling of horses and inhumane use of electric prods at a rodeo in Coombs this August.
B.C. government continues to fund rodeo events
The B.C. government continues to fund the suffering of animals in rodeo, with more than $680,000 in taxpayer dollars awarded to events that include rodeos this year alone. The VHS is calling for an end to provincial funding of rodeo events and for legal protections to prevent animal suffering in rodeo. You can send a pre-written, editable email to provincial decision-makers using the quick action tool.
New We Animals Media footage from the Coombs rodeo on Vancouver Island captures possibly illegal electric prod use on animals and inhumane handling of a fallen horse.
The VHS has reported the concerning incidents to the BC SPCA.
Recent polling reflects growing public opposition to controversial rodeo events. 83% of B.C. residents oppose taxpayer dollars being used to support rodeos.
The VHS continues to call for an end to B.C. government funding of rodeo events and for the province to do more to address the lack of protections for animals in rodeo. Use the quick action tool below to support this call to action.
Join the VHS in calling on the B.C. government to:
Stop providing public funding to events that include rodeos;
Do more to protect animals from inhumane treatment in rodeo events.
Cruelty allegations at Coombs rodeo
The Vancouver Humane Society filed a cruelty complaint to the BC SPCA about:
Electric prod use: The footage shows repeated use of electric prods on animals. This appears to be in violation of the laws that pertain to animal management, which prohibit repeated prodding of the same animal; electric prod use on animals already in motion to speed them up or on animals unable to move due to physical barriers.
Inhumane handling of a fallen horse: A horse named Ridge Runner is seen crashing into the back fence of a chute during a bucking event. The stressed animal is heard vocalizing as he falls to the ground and remains prone for more than two minutes. Handlers drag the horse by a rope tied to his front legs and a tarp is used to prevent the public from seeing what is happening. Behind the tarp, the horse thrashes on the ground to get up, but with his front legs tied he is unable to. A handler is seen kicking the horse in the head twice. Eventually, the horse is able to get up, but appears unsteady before leaving the arena.
The footage also captures animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated, including tail twisting, ear pulling, and kicking and slapping.
Visible signs of highly stressed animals are also captured, including horses with flared nostrils, ears pinned back, kicking in the chutes, resisting handlers, and trembling in fear.
Videos from the 2024 Bulls Broncs & Barrels in Coombs, British Columbia show a number of serious welfare concerns, including: – Improper use of electric prods – A horse falling and being kicked in the head – Rough handling and deliberate agitation of animals – Visible signs of stress Footage: Jordan Rivers We Animals Media
Growing public opposition to rodeo & government funding
Recent polling by Research Co. shows that a significant majority of British Columbians oppose various rodeo events and the funding of such events.
77% oppose calf roping;
75% are against steer wrestling;
66% are opposed to bronc and bull riding;
83% are against government funding for rodeos.
B.C. government continues to fund inhumane rodeo events
The VHS remains firmly opposed to using taxpayer dollars to support rodeo events due to ongoing animal welfare concerns and strong public disapproval of animal use in rodeos. Despite these concerns and evidence of welfare issues at rodeos being shared with the Ministry of Tourism, government funding continues to be awarded to rodeo events.
This spring, more than $680,000 in government funding was distributed to events that include rodeos.
On August 9th 2024, a horse named Kiki’s Song of Life was euthanized after sustaining a compound fracture during a timed workout at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse. This incident marks the second known horse death at Hastings since the racing season began in April.
Last year, eleven horses died at B.C.’s two racecourses – eight at Hastings and three at Fraser Downs.
Horses used in the high-pressure racing industry face stress, pain, and risk of injury and death as a result of selective breeding practices, aversive training, high speeds, and the use of painful tools like whips and bits.
The VHS continues to encourage the public to not attend horse races and to take the pledge to reflect their concern for horses.
By taking the pledge today, you will reflect your concern about recent race horse fatalities and incidents and to sign up to receive updates on future actions you can take to help horses.
Learn more about the deaths of eight horses at Hastings Racecourse in 2023 here.
This year’s Calgary Stampede once again ended in tragedy with the death of a horse in Friday’s chuckwagon event. The fatal incident brings the total number of animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede to 105, including 75 chuckwagon horses, since the VHS began tracking fatalities in 1986.
In addition to Friday’s devastating incident, the VHS documented rough handling and signs of stress in animals throughout the rodeo events. Watch and share the videos below to help raise awareness of the routine suffering that animals experience during rodeo events.
The above video outlines the many animal welfare concerns that arose at this year’s Calgary Stampede, including the tragic death of a horse used in the chuckwagon races.
Much work is needed to change public sentiment on the suffering of animals in rodeos. When the above video was shared on TikTok, several rodeo supporters commented that they saw “nothing wrong” with the handling of the animals. Hours later, the video was removed from the platform for violating their policy on animal abuse. This inhumane treatment is not simply an unfortunate accident in the rodeo industry—it is considered acceptable and expected as an inherent part of the events.
Please share these videos to help others see how animals suffer in rodeos and support a wider movement away from supporting inhumane animal events.
Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge
61% of Canadians are opposed to the use of animals in rodeo. Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge, which will be shared with decision-makers to reflect public opposition to inhumane rodeo events.
Call for a ban on inhumane rodeo events in your community
Some communities, including the City of Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, and Port Moody, have municipal bylaws in place to prohibit inhumane rodeo events and practices. Call on your city council to follow this lead by implementing a bylaw in your community!
This action has now ended.
4,143 people used this tool to call for municipal bylaws banning inhumane rodeo events. Thank you for taking action.
