Tag: Animals in entertainment

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Thousands are speaking up for animals at rodeos

A group of animal activists protesting outside of the Calgary Stampede asking for kinder events for animals.

This summer, thousands of people joined the VHS in calling for a kinder future for animals used in rodeos, both online and on the ground, and your support helped make that possible.

In Calgary, the VHS supplied Calgary Animal Rights Effort (CARE) with resources for four peaceful Buck the Rodeo rallies near the Stampede grounds. Local advocates spoke directly with Stampede visitors, distributed Rodeo Truth educational materials and shared cruelty-free ways to enjoy Stampede season without events that harm animals. Animal Justice also joined advocates at the rallies, helping strengthen the local effort.

1,900,000

views of animal welfare messaging from VHS rodeo campaigns

And thanks to animal allies like you, the message travelled much further. More than 7,600 direct actions have been taken by supporters across the VHS’s B.C. rodeo and Calgary Stampede campaigns so far in 2026. Together, the rodeo campaigns were viewed more than 1.9 million times, bringing animal welfare concerns to a massive new audience.

Take action on B.C. rodeos
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7,600

direct actions in support of ending inhumane rodeo events

Behind that impact was the advocacy work your support makes possible.
The VHS monitored multiple B.C. rodeos on the ground, documented concerning incidents and wrote directly to organizers asking for answers and accountability. The VHS also teamed up with We Animals Media and Animal Justice to call for greater transparency at the Calgary Stampede after We Animals was denied media accreditation to attend and document the Stampede.

Together, the organizations brought national attention to the importance of independent documentation and public accountability.
From supporting grassroots advocates to collaborating nationally and mobilizing thousands of animal allies, your support helps to build public awareness, strengthen the movement and create pressure for lasting change.

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Protecting animals behind the scenes

When animals appear on screen or arrive at a community event, it is easy to miss what happens behind the scenes. Thanks to your support, The Vancouver Humane Society is working to ensure animals used in television, film, and mobile live animal programs, such as petting zoos and reptile expos, are treated humanely.

Media red flags list

The VHS team is attending exotic animal expos to document welfare concerns, bringing in international experts to share evidence with decision makers, and sharing on social media about the needs of exotic animals. Alongside partner organizations and experts, we are developing practical recommendations to share with the provincial government to better protect animals.

The VHS is grateful to the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada for their generous grant funding of our work to raise awareness about the suffering of wild, exotic animals kept in captivity for entertainment, as pets, and used in mobile live animal programs. The rest of this work was made possible through kind donations from animal allies. Thank you for standing with animals and helping create meaningful change.

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Mobile Live Animal Programs: What Are the Risks?

What does a bearded dragon passed from child to child at a birthday party, a snake in a small plastic container for sale at a reptile expo, and a sloth being fed carrots by children in a crowded attraction, all have in common?

They are all examples of mobile live animal programs, or MLAPs, where animals are brought to events to be displayed, handled or sold.

They can look like harmless fun. But for the animals, they often mean frequent travel to unfamiliar environments, hours of being on display and handled by strangers, and nowhere to hide.

And because healthy-looking animals can carry pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella, the risks reach people too, especially young children, older adults, and pregnant people.

There is little oversight of these programs, and British Columbians are concerned. New polling found that strong majorities worry about the impacts on animal welfare, public health and safety, and the environment.

Learn more about the issues with MLAPs below and help raise awareness by sharing this information with your community.

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What are mobile live animal programs (MLAPs)?

MLAPs involve transporting animals to different locations for display, public entertainment, fundraising, or sale. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Travelling petting zoos and mobile farms at fairs, festivals, schools, and markets
  • Classroom, assisted living home, and birthday party animal presentations
  • Animal displays and attractions at shopping centres and community events
  • Reptile expos and other events where animals are sold to the public
A pair of bare hands holding a chameleon
Nanaimo, 2026

The animals involved range widely.

Some are domesticated, farmed animals such as goats, lambs, calves, rabbits, and chicks. Others are wild, exotic species such as snakes, lizards, tortoises, sugar gliders, and spiders, which are non-domesticated animals native to countries outside Canada.

Unlike dogs, cats, or horses, these species have not been domesticated over thousands of years to live alongside people, and they retain their wild instincts and complex needs even when bred in captivity.

Across many different species, MLAPs share several factors that researchers have identified as increasing the risk of harm. These include young animals, temporary setups, frequent close contact between animals and people, large crowds, and audiences made up largely of young children.

A toad sitting a clear plastic container
Abbotsford, 2024
A lizard in a small plastic container with $200 written on the container
Abbotsford, 2026
Multiple children holding and petting a young bird
A large tortoise in small plastic container sitting on hay
Delta, 2023
A monitor lizard curled up in blue plastic bin
Nanaimo, 2023
A gecko in a small plastic container with leaves and paper towel
Abbotsford, 2026
A large yellow snake curled multiple times in a very small plastic enclosure.
Abbotsford, 2024
Four lizards swimming in a small, barren aquarium.
Nanaimo, 2026
One large monitor lizard in a barren enclosure
Abbotsford, 2026

The issues with MLAPs

Animal welfare

Animals used in MLAPs, especially exotic species, face significant welfare risks, including:

  • Frequent travel to and from events, sometimes over long distances
  • Repeated handling by members of the public
  • Undersized or barren enclosures during transport and display
  • Often no opportunities to retreat from public view or from the sight of other animals
  • Exposure to unnatural lighting, temperature, humidity, flooring and bedding, noise, and smells
  • Limited opportunities to engage in natural behaviours
  • Abnormal social groupings, such as highly social animals being housed alone
  • Largely unregulated housing and breeding outside of events, where the conditions animals live in may be unknown

The impact isn’t always easy to see.

A 2023 study of mobile zoos explains that an animal can appear calm while being handled and still be stressed, and that signs of stress in animals often promoted as docile, including some tortoises and bearded dragons, can go unnoticed.

Many MLAP’s invite people to touch or hold animals.

The study also warns that frequent transport and handling can mean repeated stress with little chance to recover, which can lead to chronic stress that harms an animal’s long-term health and welfare.

The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), which sets standards for animal sanctuaries, opposes public contact with wildlife, including exotic species. GFAS says pay-to-play activities are never in an animal’s best interest, can put animal health and public safety at risk, and send the wrong message about wild and exotic animals.

A sign in front of a chameleon enclosure that says 'Get a picture magnet done with our chameleons'
Nanaimo, 2026
Children petting a porcupine in an open enclosure
Abbotsford, 2026
A hand touching the nose of a sheep over a fence with other animals in the background
A person petting a goat through fence bars
A person holding a large snake

The link between animal welfare and disease risk

The health and wellbeing of people and animals are often interconnected. Stress suppresses immune function and can increase how many pathogens an animal can shed. The Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidance on reptiles states this directly: stress in a reptile can increase Salmonella shedding.

The conditions described above, like frequent travel and repeated handling, are exactly those that can cause this kind of stress.

Research also shows that many reptiles and other animals hide signs of stress as a survival tactic.

An animal who appears calm may still be experiencing chronic stress with serious physical and psychological effects. Stressed animals are also more likely to bite or scratch, which compounds both injury and disease risk. Conditions that put animals at risk tend to be risky for the people around them too.

Better welfare standards helps protect animals and the public.

Public health and safety

Healthy-looking animals can carry pathogens that make people seriously ill, including strains of E. coli that can produce Shiga toxin, as well as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Cryptosporidium. Children under five, pregnant people, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of severe illness.

Recent examples include: 

North Carolina, Summer 2026

A mobile petting zoo operating out of Harmony, North Carolina took a group of baby goats to at least 10 venues across the state between late July and late August, including a community picnic, assisted living homes, a back-to-school event and private bookings.

Three of the goats later tested positive for rabies. Local health departments evaluated 284 people for possible exposure, and 213 were advised to begin post-exposure treatment.

One small group of animals travelled to roughly a dozen venues and came into contact with hundreds of people, including seniors in care and children at a school event, before anyone knew there was a problem.

Identifying and reaching everyone who may have been exposed then required a coordinated effort across multiple health departments, the state health agency and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the assisted living homes involved has since decided to stop hosting farmed animal visits.

Arizona State Fair, October 2025

Public health officials began investigating an E. coli outbreak after multiple children who visited the fair’s petting zoo were hospitalized.

A parent advocacy organization reported that at least four hospitalized children’s families said the children had petted a pig at the exhibit.

Some children developed a serious complication that attacks the kidneys.

Canada, October 2024

In October 2024, a Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) investigation into a Salmonella outbreak linked to geckos concluded that twenty-five confirmed cases were reported across seven provinces, including one in B.C., with four hospitalizations and one death.

Those affected ranged in age from one to 103. It was the second gecko-linked Salmonella outbreak PHAC reported that year. Notably, PHAC’s own guidance identifies birthday parties, schools, daycares, museums, science centres, zoos and travelling reptile shows as settings where this kind of exposure can occur.

PHAC has investigated similar outbreaks linked to snakes and feeder rodents, pet hedgehogs, bearded dragons and young poultry. Research published in 2025 found that reptile-associated Salmonella outbreaks in Canada are increasing alongside the growing popularity of reptiles as pets.

Isn’t good handwashing enough to manage the risk?

Handwashing matters, and nobody should stop doing it. But it often isn’t enough to combat all the other risk factors at MLAPs.

Between 2023 and 2025, one animal contact attraction in South West England had four separate outbreaks of Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes severe stomach illness. Thirty-nine cases were confirmed by lab testing. When investigators looked into why this kept happening, they found germs lingering in the environment and a dangerous strain of E. coli on the surfaces people touch most, like railings and gates.

The striking part is that the site was following the standards it was supposed to follow. What kept the outbreaks going was the setup itself. Visitors walked right into the pens with the animals, and young children behaved the way they often do, touching all surfaces and putting their hands near their faces.

Hand sanitizer often isn’t enough to address the problem either. Alcohol gel does not reliably kill Cryptosporidium. An event that offers a sanitizer dispenser instead of soap and running water can leave people believing their hands are clean when they are not.

The same problems identified in this investigation often persist at most MLAPs: not enough places to thoroughly wash hands, no clear line between the animal areas and the animal-free ones, contaminants on shoes that are tracked onto walkways, and too few staff watching how children and animals interact.

Lack of educational benefit

MLAPs are often defended as hands-on learning experiences that build empathy and support for conservation.However, experts and academics do not support the claim that interacting with live animals in these settings increases conservation knowledge or action.

Some research suggests these experiences can produce negative emotional or intellectual perceptions of animals. Seeing animals removed from their environments, confined in small enclosures, and handled repeatedly can normalize the idea that animals exist for human use or entertainment.

Researchers note that seeing animals up close is not necessary to foster learning, care, or conservation. Many beloved species, such as humpback whales, enjoy strong public protection without ever being handled by the public.

A person holding a snake and showing to a group of children to touch
Nanaimo, 2026
A child touching a snake someone is holding out to them
Nanaimo, 2026
Children touching a hedgehog on a desk

Promotion of exotic pets

Hands-on encounters can also make exotic animals seem like suitable pets, especially to young children. A 2026 study found that even after hearing that tortoises make poor pets, children aged seven and eight were no less interested in owning one.

The researchers suggest that letting young children touch animals may encourage a desire for exotic pets. Rather than discouraging impulse purchases, close contact may unintentionally fuel demand within the exotic animal trade.

This matters because exotic animals, whether captive-bred or wild-caught, have complex social, behavioural, dietary, and environmental needs. These needs are difficult to meet in captivity and even harder to meet in private homes. When those needs aren’t met, animals may suffer chronic stress, illness, and premature death. Specialized veterinary care can also be hard to find and is expensive. As a result, animals may suffer or die without treatment or be abandoned or surrendered to already overburdened rescues.

Even well-intentioned guardians may not have the expertise or resources to properly care for exotic species. That’s why the VHS supports a science-based “positive list” framework. It would set out which species can be kept as pets based on welfare, health, safety, and environmental criteria. A species would be allowed to be kept only after being assessed as suitable.

A child holding a small tortoise with other children touching other animals in the background
A snake in a small plastic container next to a sign that reads 'Enter to win this beautiful snake!'
Nanaimo, 2024
Nine snakes displayed in small see-through plastic containers
Delta, 2023
A child sitting in a chair while holding a lizard
Abbotsford, 2026
Five snakes curled in small see-through plastic containers next to a sign that lists different payment methods
Abbotsford, 2024
Multiple geckos in clear plastic containers laid out across at table with various prices written on the containers
Abbotsford, 2024

Community & environmental impacts

The demand for exotic pets, fueled by MLAPs, can have environmental consequences. Exotic pets that escape, are released, or are surrendered add strain to shelters, rescues, and veterinary services. These services are already overwhelmed and may not have the resources or expertise to care for such a wide range of species.

There have been many documented cases of environmental impacts of escaped or released exotic pets in B.C. in recent years, including red-eared slider turtles. In summer 2025, for example, conservation officers and B.C. Parks staff cleared visitors and closed trails in Miracle Beach Provincial Park while searching for an escaped boa constrictor. The snake was then taken to the Comox Valley SPCA.

The mobile nature of MLAPs can make tracking health impacts difficult. Many people may recover from infections without seeing a doctor or getting tested, so outbreaks are likely under-reported. The 2023 study of mobile zoos adds that symptoms can be delayed or mistaken for common illnesses. As the authors point out, a lack of recorded cases doesn’t mean infections are rare.

Two monitor lizards in side-by-side plastic bins with 'Blackhead monitor pair $2500' written on one of the bins
Abbotsford, 2026

What about rescues?

Some MLAPs describe themselves as rescues that rely on events to raise funds for animal care. Funding challenges in animal care are real and should be taken seriously.

However, reputable sanctuaries and rescues consistently raise funds without placing animals in situations that cause stress or create disease risk.

Grants, animal sponsorship programs, online peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate partnerships and community events all offer fundraising alternatives.

Ethical rescues prioritize animal wellbeing and do not use animals for public handling or entertainment.

New polling shows strong public concern

Public concern surrounding mobile live animal programs is growing. In 2025, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, an organization that represents local governments across British Columbia, endorsed resolution NR75 calling on the B.C. Government to regulate mobile live animal programs, demonstrating that this issue matters to municipalities.

Polling* of British Columbians in 2026 found that:

  • 85% think there should be restrictions on bringing exotic animals into schools, childcare settings, or long-term care facilities, and;
  • a strong majority of British Columbians are concerned about the following issues associated with mobile live animal programs such as how the animals are captured or bred (83%), the welfare of the animals (79%), the risk to the environment if animals escape (74%), the risk of disease passing from animals to people (73%), and the risk to public safety (69%)

*Research Co. poll conducted for the Vancouver Humane Society August 30 to September 1, 2026 (n=806 B.C. residents, margin of error +/-3.5%, 19 times out of 20)

There are better ways to educate & inspire caring for animals

There are many alternatives to MLAPs that can build curiosity and compassion for animals without transporting them to parties, classrooms, and expos to be handled, displayed or sold.

Documentaries, virtual learning, visits to sanctuaries that prioritize animal wellbeing, and conservation programs all offer meaningful ways to engage and educate the public, without the risks to animals, people, and the environment.

Sign up to stay updated on this campaign and for opportunities to help raise awareness

Help us spread the word about the harms of mobile live animal programs.

Together, we can build a future where education and compassion never come at the expense of animal welfare or public health and safety.

The VHS is grateful to the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada for their generous grant funding of our work to raise awareness about the suffering of wild, exotic animals kept in captivity as pets and used in mobile live animal programs. 

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How campaigners took on industrial farming in Denmark’s ‘pig election’

A pig on a dirt floor stares at the camera

How campaigners beat industrial farming in Denmark’s ‘pig election’

Mette Frederiksen’s new government promises overhaul for people – and animals – in home of ultra-intensive farming

Progress for animals often moves slowly. This can be disheartening. As an animal ally, it can feel as though others don’t care enough to make change. But how much is that feeling based in reality?

When asked about animal issues, most Canadians express care and concern. Most people with companion animals consider those animals to be part of the family. Canadians are also largely opposed to activities that pose animal welfare concerns, such as trophy hunting (83% opposed), killing animals for their fur (78% opposed), rodeos (65% opposed), and zoos and aquariums (58% opposed).

Animal welfare is typically a bipartisan issue in Canada, resonating with people regardless of which political party they vote for. Still, animal welfare alone is rarely a motivator for change from decision-makers.

What happens when animal allies unite with other changemakers?

A recent election in Denmark answered that question, as advocates for animal welfare, the environment, and residents made pig farming a major election issue through two years of focused campaigning.

Citizens used their votes to show they care about the animal welfare, land use, environmental, and human impacts of pig farming, a main industry in Denmark.

Collaboration with other sectors has helped make progress for animals in Canada.

Animal advocates in Canada have teamed up with advocates on other issues and highlighted the overlap between the health of animals, humans, and our shared environment.

Here in British Columbia, a permanent ban on the farming of mink for fur was announced in 2021 due to public health risks.

In 2023, a phase-out of toxicity testing on animals was included in an update to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

The Protecting Victims Act passed this summer, criminalizing the distribution of animal sexual abuse material while recognizing harm and threats against animals as part of coercive control and criminal harassment.

Collaboration paints a promising path forward.

These stories paint a promising path forward in animal advocacy; one where collaboration with other advocates and intersections with other important issues create real opportunities for meaningful change.

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Win for animals: Tripadvisor no longer allows rodeo & racing ticket sales

A bull in the chutes at The Calgary Stampede rodeo. Jo-Anne McArthur \ We Animals Media.

Animal advocates around the world are celebrating a step forward as Tripadvisor has strengthened their animal welfare policy! The new policy evaluates activities involving animals “informed by the Five Domains of Animal Welfare, a globally recognised framework that assesses an animal’s quality of life”:

Source: Tripadvisor.ca

The new policy “does not enable booking for experiences that involve animal racing, such as most dog, horse and camel racing or for rodeo-style events”. It also forbids sales of tickets for attractions including elephant riding and those involving captive whales and dolphins.

This important step forward involves a major company acknowledging that many animal entertainment events cause unnecessary risk and stress to animals. It also helps travellers to make more compassionate choices about the events and attractions they attend.

To learn more about choosing compassionate events and attractions, check out the VHS’s podcast episode on An animal-friendly summer break with Erin Ryan.

Podcast: An animal-friendly summer break

Cover photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

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The Calgary Stampede hasn’t answered: what happened to the animals in 2026?

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:

  • One horse was confirmed to be seriously injured during an unaired heat of the chuckwagon races on July 11th. 
  • Another heat from the same day was not aired and results show that a team did not finish the race; this often indicates an incident or animal injury.
  • During a calf roping event on July 12th, a calf appeared motionless after being caught. The cameras quickly cut away.
  • Rodeo handlers received criticism for rough handling of a horse in a bucking event on July 8th.

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.

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Sign the #SayNoToRodeo Pledge

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.

Take Action
Sign the #SayNoToRodeo Pledge
Dozens of activists gather with signs protesting the 2026 Calgary Stampede
Activists gather with signs protesting the 2026 Calgary Stampede

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

After signing, share the action with others and invite them to speak up.

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New study finds calves show signs of fear and stress before calf-roping events even begin

A roped calf lies on the ground at the Calgary Stampede rodeo
Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

Image: Jo-Anne McArthur \ We Animals Media

  • A new peer-reviewed study adds to the growing body of evidence that calf-roping puts young animals through fear and stress.
  • The study analyzed video footage of calves confined in chutes before being released into the arena for calf-roping events in Australia.
  • The findings are deeply concerning: every calf observed showed at least one behaviour associated with a negative emotional state, such as fear or stress.
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“Welfare concerns begin while calves are still confined in the chute”

Calf-roping, also called tie-down roping, involves a young calf being released from a chute, chased by a rider on horseback, roped around the neck, stopped abruptly, forced to the ground, and tied by the legs.

Animal welfare concerns have long focused on the risk of stress, pain, and injury during the event itself. This study shows that welfare concerns begin even earlier, while calves are still confined in the chute.

A calf lying in the ground with 3 of it's legs tied together and a rope around it's neck.
Calf-roping event at The Calgary Stampede. Jo-Anne McArthur \ We Animals Media.

Researchers reviewed clips of 31 calves

Some were held in the chute for shorter periods, 28 to 51 seconds, while others were held longer, 52 to 166 seconds. They recorded visible behaviours using an assessment tool known as an ethogram.

“Red flag” behaviours included:

  • Showing more of the eye white
  • mouth opening
  • sticking tongue out
  • rearing
  • tail swishing
  • escape attempts

The study found that calves held for longer periods showed more frequent red flag behaviours. These included more mouth opening, sticking out their tongues, rearing, and escape attempts.

Inherently inhumane practices

The researchers concluded that calves experience fear and stress while confined in the chute before release, and that longer confinement was associated with increased signs of stress.

These findings matter because they challenge the idea that rodeo events can be made humane through minor rule changes or handling adjustments. Even before the event started, calves were already showing signs of stress.

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Help more animal lovers learn about this opportunity.

Share this graphic on your social media and encourage others to write to their decision-makers.

Causing stress in animals should not be entertainment

The study also notes that calves in rodeo settings may be exposed to multiple stressors, including separation from other calves, confinement, loud noises, sudden movements, close contact with handlers, and the inability to escape.

Calves are young, vulnerable animals. Their fear and stress should not be dismissed as part of a show. The findings of this study support what animal welfare advocates have been stating for years: animals should not be used as tools for entertainment.

You can read the full study here.

What you can do to help

The VHS continues to call for an end to inhumane and high-risk rodeo events and for stronger protections for animals in entertainment. You can help by using the quick action tool and sending a message to government decision-makers, taking the ‘Say No to Rodeo’ pledge and encouraging friends and family not to attend rodeo events, and sharing this post!

Use the quick action tool & speak up for animals

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Media Release

Two chuckwagons collided at Saturday’s chuckwagon race, leading to serious injury for horse 

VANCOUVER, July 12, 2026 – A horse has been seriously injured during the July 11th chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede, prompting renewed calls from the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) to remove the dangerous event from the Stampede program. 

The horse suffered a serious injury when two teams collided while attempting to round the barrels during heat 3 of the races. Stampede representatives shared that an initial exam revealed no fractures, but the injury is considered serious. The incident again highlights the inherent risks of the chuckwagon event. 

For the VHS, the news lands as familiar and disheartening. The organization has tracked animal injuries and deaths at the Stampede since 1986, with 110 known animal deaths to date and 79 of those in chuckwagon racing alone. 

“Every year we hope this won’t happen again, but nearly every year there are horse injuries and deaths during the chuckwagon races,” said Emily Pickett, Campaign Director at the VHS. “The chuckwagon races are dubbed ‘the half-mile of hell’ for a reason. They simply aren’t safe for the horses and the track record of injuries and deaths reflects this reality.” 

The VHS says the risk to horses is built into the event itself. Wagons and horses race in close proximity and take tight turns at high speed, and the horses used are typically thoroughbreds bred for speed rather than skeletal health. Track and equipment adjustments made over the years, such as reducing the number of horses per heat, have not changed this underlying risk. 

At the same time, public concern around the use of animals in rodeo events continues to grow. Research Co. polling from 2024 showed a majority of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing.  Similar polling from 2022 found that removing rodeo and chuckwagon events would have little to no effect on Stampede attendance.   

The VHS is calling for the rodeo and chuckwagon races to be removed from the Stampede program to prevent more suffering and deaths. The organization is encouraging people to sign a pledge not to attend the rodeo and chuckwagon races and send a message directly to government decision-makers as part of its Rodeo Truth project, run in collaboration with concerned Calgarians.   

— ends — 

SOURCE Vancouver Humane Society 

For more information, contact: 

Emily Pickett 
Campaign Director, Vancouver Humane Society 
604-416-2901 
emily@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca 

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Two chuckwagons collided at Saturday’s chuckwagon race, leading to serious injury for horse

Photo: Reddit user thicketcosplay

  • During a Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby chuckwagon race on July 11, 2026, a horse suffered serious injuries when two teams collided while attempting to round the barrels.
  • Stampede representatives state “an initial exam revealed no fractures but the injury is considered serious”. The incident again highlights the inherent risks of the chuckwagon event.
  • The chuckwagon races are by far the deadliest animal event at the Calgary Stampede, accounting for 79 of 110 known animal fatalities since the VHS began tracking deaths at the Stampede rodeo and chuckwagons in 1986.
  • Animal deaths happen almost every year at the Stampede. In 2025, a horse named Rider suffered a fracture to his left-front cannon bone during a chuckwagon race and was euthanized.

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

Take #SayNoToRodeo pledge
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Horse seriously injured after two chuckwagon teams collided

A horse has reportedly been seriously injured following a collision during the Calgary Stampede’s chuckwagon races on July 11.

The Calgary Herald reported that Chance Flad’s Bar L5 Ranch wagon and Wade Salmond’s De Havilland Aircraft of Canada wagon failed to finish Heat 3 after their horses collided while rounding the barrels. Witnesses said two horses went down in the crash.

a horse being lifted into a trailer behind a privacy tarp on the track.
Photo: Reddit user thicketcosplay

One was eventually able to walk from the track, while the other remained down and was lifted into a trailer behind a privacy tarp.

CTV News Calgary reported that the horse is considered seriously injured and is undergoing evaluation.

Horse injured during chuckwagon races but X-rays show no fractures: Stampede CEO

A horse took a fall during the Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede Saturday night.

Nearly every year, there are animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede.

This incident is another reminder of the inherent risks that the chuckwagon races pose to horses due to the extremely high speed, tight turns, close proximity of wagons and horses to each other, and use of thoroughbred horses who are bred for speed rather than skeletal strength.

At least 110 animals have lost their lives at the Stampede rodeo and chuckwagons since 1986, when the VHS began keeping track. 79 of these deaths were horses used in the chuckwagon races.

In 2025, a horse named Rider was euthanized after a catastrophic leg injury during a chuckwagon race. The 2024 Stampede was the deadliest since 2019, with 4 animal fatalities during the 10-day event. 3 chuckwagon horses suffered unrecoverable injuries and a steer’s neck was broken during a wrestling event.

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

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

2022

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.  

2023

A majority of Albertans oppose the use of animals in rodeo. 

2024

 A majority of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing. In addition to this, 67% of Calgarians oppose government funding of rodeo events. 

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As the 2026 Calgary Stampede begins, the VHS continues to call for an end to inhumane rodeo and deadly chuckwagon races

A roped calf lies on the ground at the Calgary Stampede rodeo
Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

  • The 2026 Calgary Stampede is underway from July 3 to 12, bringing with it the return of controversial rodeo events and deadly chuckwagon races that continue to put animals at risk of injury and that result in near-annual animal deaths.
  • To date, at least 110 animals have lost their lives at the Calgary Stampede since the VHS began tracking fatalities in 1986 – an astonishing average of one animal death every 3.5 days of competition.
  • There are many ways to enjoy the city during Stampede season without supporting rodeo or chuckwagon events. Check out the cruelty-free Stampede events calendar and share it with friends, family, and coworkers.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the #SayNoToRodeo pledge and send a message to decision-makers to call for the removal of inhumane and deadly animal events from the annual Stampede program.

Take #SayNoToRodeo pledge
Email decision-makers
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Rodeos and chuckwagon races 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, making tight turns, 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.

Chuckwagon racing at The Calgary Stampede

Many rodeo activities, including bucking, roping, and wrestling events, use tools and practices like spurs, flank straps, and rough handling to provoke “fight or flight” responses in the animals.

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

Nearly every year, there are animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede.

At least 110 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.

In 2025, a horse named Rider was euthanized after a catastrophic leg injury during a chuckwagon race. 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.

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

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

2022

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.  

2023

A majority of Albertans oppose the use of animals in rodeo. 

2024

 A majority of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing. In addition to this, 67% of Calgarians oppose government funding of rodeo events. 

Email decision-makers
Take #SayNoToRodeo pledge

Attend alternative cruelty-free events around Calgary

There are many ways to enjoy the city during Stampede season without supporting rodeo or chuckwagon events. Check out the cruelty-free Stampede events calendar and share it with friends, family, and coworkers.

Join the “Buck the Rodeo” Rally

The Calgary Animal Rights Effort is hosting a peaceful rally to raise awareness about the animal welfare issues at the rodeo and chuckwagon races.

Saturday and Sunday,
July 4 and 5th, 11th and 12th.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. MDT
Victoria Park / Stampede Station, Calgary

The rally will meet across from the Victoria/Stampede C-Train Station. Signs will be available, and you are welcome to bring your own.

Discover cruelty-free events around calgary