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Horse killed in Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon race

  • During a Calgary Stampede chuckwagon race on Saturday July 12, a horse named Rider suffered a leg injury and was euthanized.
  • This marks the first animal death of the 2025 Calgary Stampede and brings the total known animal deaths to 110 since the VHS began tracking deaths in 1986. 
  • Animal deaths happen almost every year that Stampede. The 2024 Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon races claimed the lives of four animals. Three horses died in the chuckwagon races and one steer died after their neck was broken during a wrestling event. 

TAKE ACTION: Use the quick action tools to call on government decision-makers to work with organizers to remove these inhumane and deadly animal events from the Stampede program.   

Email decision-makers
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Use the template email below to send a message to Calgary City Council and Alberta decision-makers. If you live in Alberta, the message will also be sent to your MLA.

Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge to reflect your opposition to the use of animals in rodeo. The number of signatures will be shared by the VHS in engagement with decision-makers. 

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media

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The Stampede confirmed that a horse named Rider suffered a fracture to his left-front cannon bone during Heat 8 of the Saturday evening race and was later euthanized. 

Since the VHS began tracking fatalities in 1986, at least 110 animals have died in the Calgary Stampede’s animal events, 79 of which were in chuckwagon racing.

Despite minor changes attempting to improve the safety of the chucks over the years, horses have continued to die at an alarming rate. The VHS points to the fact that these changes, like reducing the number of horses on the track, fail to address the inherent risk factors of the sport: the close proximity of horses and wagons, the extremely fast pace, and the use of thoroughbred horses, who are typically bred for speed rather than skeletal health. 

Public approval of chuckwagon racing continues to fall in the wake of near-annual incidents and a growing awareness about animal well-being. 59% of Canadians and 54% of Calgarians disagree with the use of horses in chuckwagon races, according to a Research Co. poll commissioned by the VHS in July 2024. 

RodeoTruth.com

Cover photo: Sportsnet

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As the 2025 Calgary Stampede begins, calls to end rodeo & chuckwagons grow 

  • The 2025 Calgary Stampede will be held from July 4-13. With it comes the controversial rodeo and deadly chuckwagon races that result in animal fatalities nearly every year
  • Last year’s events were the deadliest since 2019, with 4 animal deaths in 2024, bringing the Stampede death toll to at least 109 fatalities since the VHS began tracking in 1986. 
  • Polling shows significant and growing opposition across Canada to the use of animals in rodeo and chuckwagon events, including amongst Albertans.  
  • Polling also shows that removal of the rodeo and chuckwagon events from the Stampede program would have virtually no impact on attendance rates and would bring in new crowds.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Stampede organizers and government decision-makers to remove these inhumane and deadly animal events from the Stampede program.  

Take the pledge
Email decision-makers
Learn more

Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge to reflect your opposition to the use of animals in rodeo. The number of signatures will be shared by the VHS in engagement with decision-makers. 

Use the template email below to send a message to Calgary City Council and Alberta decision-makers. If you live in Alberta, the message will also be sent to your MLA.

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media

Learn more

Dangerous & stressful for the animals 

Rodeos and chuckwagon events are fast-paced, timed events that put animals’ safety at risk. The chuckwagon races are promoted as the “half-mile of hell” and involve teams of horses attached to wagons that are pulled at high speed and in close proximity to each other.

Beyond the risk of injury and death, animals used in rodeo events are also subjected to stress and suffering during rodeo events. Many rodeo activities, including bucking, roping, and wrestling events, use tools and methods like spurs, flank straps, and rough handling to provoke “fight or flight” responses.

These events rely on the use of fear, stress, and discomfort to make animals flee and buck. 

Near-annual deaths 

Nearly every year, there are animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede. The 2024 Stampede was the deadliest since 2019, with 4 animal fatalities during the 10-day event. 3 chuckwagon horses suffered irrecoverable injuries and a steer’s neck was broken during a wrestling event. 

At least 109 animals have lost their lives at the Stampede since 1986, when the VHS began keeping track. Most deaths occur during the chuckwagon races due to the fast pace and close proximity of the horses and wagons. 

Why are the chuckwagon races so dangerous?

Injuries and deaths may also be underreported, as it can take up to 48 hours after an incident for an injury to present.   

Growing public opposition  

Public polling in recent years reflects growing opposition to the use of animals in rodeo:  

  • 2022 poll: Removal of the rodeo and chuckwagon events from the Stampede program would have virtually no impact on attendance rates and would bring in new crowds.  

Cover photo: Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media

RodeoTruth.com
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Include animals in emergency planning (Federal e-petition)

  • The Vancouver Humane Society is joining Humane Canada and advocates across Canada in calling for companion animals to be included in emergency planning.
  • More than 60% of Canadian households include a dog or cat, yet there is a lack of pet-inclusive support and accommodations for people evacuating during emergencies such as wildfires.
  • The lack of resources and limited training on animal response adds to confusion and panic in times of emergency, and can lead to people delaying or avoiding seeking safety, risk of death for animals, and added dangers for first responders.
  • A new federal e-petition launched by Humane Canada calls on the Canadian government to include animals in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

TAKE ACTION: Canadian residents can sign the official parliamentary e-petition until October 9, 2025. After you sign, be sure to click the link in the confirmation email so your signature is counted.

You can also use the quick action tool from Humane Canada to send an email to federal decision-makers calling for change.

Sign the petition
Email decision-makers (Humane Canada action)

Ensure no animal is left behind in emergencies

Join the Vancouver Humane Society, Humane Canada, MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, and advocates across Canada in calling to protect animals and teh people who care for them during emergencies.

Sign the federal e-petition on the Parliament of Canada website before October 9, 2025, at 9:06 a.m. PST

Important: After you sign the petition, be sure to check your email and click the confirmation link to ensure your signature is counted.  

Sign the petition
Email decision-makers (Humane Canada)
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New report calls for end to horse racing at Vancouver track

  • A new VHS report is urging Vancouver city council to end horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, citing persistent animal welfare concerns and the long-term decline of the industry.
  • The report comes after the preventable death of a horse at Hastings on June 8th. The horse, Gem Dancer, collapsed, went into distress and died of suspected heat exhaustion after racing during a heat warning.
  • Gem Dancer’s death marks the second known horse fatality at Hastings in 2025 and follows a troubling trend—four horses died at Hastings in 2024, and eight more in 2023.
  • The racing-related fatality rate at Hastings racecourse is markedly higher than the industry average, raising concerns about the potential for more deaths with the 2025 race season underway.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the pledge to not attend horse races and the VHS will update Vancouver city council about the number of pledge signatures.

Take the pledge
Read the report
Welfare concerns

Sign the pledge to not attend horse races and the VHS will update Vancouver city council regarding the number of pledge signatures.

Report: Considerations for the discontinuation of horse racing at Hastings Park

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“Retired” horses face an uncertain future.

The racing fatality rate at Hastings is significantly higher than the industry average.

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Exotic animals: wildlife, not pets

  • Exotic, non-domesticated animals are being caught, bred, and sold across Canada as part of the inhumane and risky wildlife trade.
  • These animals are then kept as pets, sold commercially, and used at events.
  • Captive environments cannot replicate exotic wild animals’ natural habitats, leading to welfare concerns.
  • The wildlife trade poses a risk to wild animal populations both at home and abroad due to poaching of animals for the pet trade and release of exotic animals into the local ecosystems.

Can you take action to speak up for wild exotic animals caught, bred, and sold in the wildlife trade?

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Issues with captive exotic animals

It’s estimated that 1.4 million exotic animals (non-domesticated, non-native animals) are kept as pets across Canada. This includes species like ball pythons, bearded dragons, red ear slider turtles, savannah cats, and crested geckos. Across the Canadian provinces and territories, British Columbia comes in fourth for exotic pet ownership.

Exotic animals may be:

  • kept as pets in people’s homes;
  • bred and sold commercially; or
  • used for public display or entertainment at events.

Welfare concerns

Regardless of whether these animals are wild-caught or captive-bred, they retain their complex social, physiological, and behavioural needs that they would have in the wild.

This makes it impossible to fully meet their unique needs when kept captive as pets, which can lead to significant animal welfare issues and suffering.

Public health risks

The exotic pet trade also poses public health and safety risks.

Stressed animals are more susceptible to disease and to spreading disease to humans. In fact, 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic (transmitted from non-human animals to humans).

Impact on wild animal populations

The exotic pet trade is also a major threat to wild populations, as a result of the poaching of wild animals to be sold into the pet trade.

The accidental or intentional release of exotic animals into the wild can also have a negative impact on native species and local ecosystems.

Exotic pet events

Exotic pet events, where animals are on display for public entertainment or are being sold, highlight many of the animal welfare, public health, and safety issues associated with the exotic pet trade. These wild animals are:

  • kept in cramped and unnatural containers;
  • transported to and from events; and
  • handled by adults and children in a noisy environment.

Will you help stop the suffering by signing up to receive action alerts? You will be contacted with key actions to help protect exotic animals.

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Rodeo season wraps up with new actions, growing public opposition

Photo: Jordan Rivers \We Animals Media

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

Survey results have since shown a significant increase in public opposition to inhumane rodeo and chuckwagon races and to government funding of these events.

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.

Take action on the Calgary Stampede rodeo

B.C. rodeo season

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

Animal welfare concerns raised at Coombs rodeo

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.

Take action on B.C. rodeos
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UPDATE: Support major changes to protect farmed animals in B.C.

New report recommends major changes to protect farmed animals in B.C. Add your name in support!

Following growing concerns about the state of farmed animal welfare in B.C., a committee tasked with reviewing the province’s farmed animal welfare framework has presented its recommendations to the Ministry of Agriculture. Join the VHS in urging decision-makers to prioritize next steps!

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Take action to protect farmed animals

Use the template message below to call on B.C.’s Premier and the Minister of Agriculture to take specific actions that build on these recommendations and to prioritize their implementation to meaningfully protect farmed animals from egregious cruelty and suffering.  

Live outside of Canada? You can email B.C.’s Premier at premier@gov.bc.ca and the Minister of Agriculture at AF.Minister@gov.bc.ca

Agriculture Ministry listening after years of welfare issues

In B.C. alone, near-annual undercover investigations over the last decade have revealed serious and systemic welfare issues within the animal agriculture industry. 

In late 2022, B.C.’s Ministry of Agriculture launched a review of the province’s farmed animal welfare framework. This week, a Ministry advisory committee released a new farmed animal welfare recommendations report that will be considered by the Ministry as part of the review. 

The report’s recommendations include a new government-funded inspection and enforcement function within the Ministry of Agriculture, which would take over responsibility for implementation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act with respect to farmed animals. Other recommendations include providing an annual public report around enforcement activities; an expanded range of enforcement options and penalties; animal welfare and humane handling training improvements; and continued support for the inclusion of farmed animals in emergency planning.  

Learn more about the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture’s farmed animal welfare framework review and the advisory committee’s recommendations report. 

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Protect wild, exotic animals in captivity: Petition

Wild, exotic animals suffer in captivity

Zoos and aquariums cannot replicate the size and complexity of a wild animal’s natural habitat. Captive wildlife are also unable to engage in many natural behaviours that are crucial to their physical, social and psychological well-being. Captive exotic animals are often kept in climates that are not suitable for their species.  

According to polling,89% of British Columbians oppose the international trade of exotic animals (wild animals not native to B.C.) to be kept on display in permanent captivity in zoos and aquariums.

The VHS has shared an open letter outlining recommendations for updating B.C.’s outdated regulations around wild and exotic animal captivity.

View the full footage.

Learn more about exotic, wild animal captivity and help raise awareness

Scroll through the infographics below to learn more about the issues facing captive wild animals. Click the images to save and share them on social media, or scroll down the page for key messages to share on Twitter.

Wild, exotic animals have no place in B.C. zoos. I support @vanhumane’s suggested restrictions to animal captivity.
I signed the petition to protect wild, exotic animals from suffering in captivity! Will you join me?
B.C.’s Controlled Alien Species regulation has not been updated since 2009 and is overdue for an update. Sign the petition to call for changes!

B.C.’s outdated regulations

There are loopholes in the law when it comes to keeping exotic animals. While B.C. has regulations related to the possession, transportation and breeding of exotic animals (wild animals not native to B.C.), the “Controlled Alien Species” (CAS) regulation prohibits only species that pose the greatest threat to public health and safety and does not consider animal welfare or a species’ suitability for captivity. This leaves out many exotic species, such as kangaroos and zebras, who are not subject to the CAS regulation.

The international trade of animals also increases the risk of disease spread. One in four emerging diseases is zoonotic; many of the most serious illnesses of our lifetimes have originated in animals, including COVID-19.

In B.C., zoos and aquariums, industries using animals for research, and the TV and film industry can get permits to keep dangerous exotic animals through provincial laws regulating the trade of exotic animals. These Controlled Alien Species permits lead to frequent trade of exotic animals and end up resulting in at best, boredom and repetitive behaviours, and at worst, physical suffering and early death.

The province has not significantly updated the CAS regulation since its passing in 2009 and it is overdue for an update.