Many rodeo events, such as roping, bucking and wrestling events, involve rough handling which puts animals at risk of serious injury and death.
Update
This action has now ended. Thank you to the 2,452 advocates who used the quick action to call on the Ministry of Tourism not to fund inhumane rodeo events. Please see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help rodeo animals, including an action calling for both municipal bylaws and an end to provincial funding for cruel rodeo events.
Rodeos will be eligible for recently announced B.C. government funding
The Government of British Columbia recently announced new funding for fairs, festivals, and events; but the inclusion of inhumane rodeo events is cause for concern.
Tell B.C.’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport that the use of taxpayer dollars to support inhumane and outdated rodeo events, which the majority of British Columbians oppose, is a step in the wrong direction.
Rodeo events, such as roping, bucking, wrestling and mutton busting (children riding sheep), are inherently stressful for animals. They rely on the use of fear, discomfort and aversive stimuli (flank straps and spurs) to make the animals perform for public entertainment.
These events also put animals at unnecessary risk of injury, such as broken bones, neck injuries and internal damage.
This is fundamentally at odds with how we should be handling and treating animals. In fact, it contradicts industry requirements and best practices for the handling of farmed animals, which state that quiet handling techniques are required.
A new study looking at calf-roping adds to the growing body of evidence that animals suffer in rodeo events. It found that calves exhibited signs of distress across every phase of the calf roping event, from being chased, lassoed and caught, to when they were released.
Most communities have moved away from rodeos and toward other types of family-friendly community events. For example, the Luxton Rodeo near Victoria was cancelled in 2015 and the Abbotsford Rodeo was cancelled in 2016. The City of Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver have already implemented a ban on rodeo events.
Take Action: Email the Minister of Tourism
Tip:Personalize your message to make it more impactful! The template below is editable, so feel free to share more about why this issue is important to you and alternative community events that you’d prefer to see supported through government funding.
Live outside of Canada? You can share your concerns, as a tourist, with the Minister at: TACS.minister@gov.bc.ca
This action has now ended.
2,452 people used this tool to email the Minister of Tourism. Thank you for taking action.
Video footage from recent local rodeos reveals recurring welfare issues, including animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being and welfare of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
Photos from B.C. rodeos
Visible signs of stress during rodeo events include urination, defecation, excessive salivation, and an increase in the size of the white of the eye surrounding the pupil.
Rodeos include timed, fast-paced events that involve rough handling of animals. This is contradictory to the animal agriculture industry’s requirements for quiet, low-stress handling of animals on farms. The same mistreatment of animals in the rodeo arena would be considered animal cruelty if observed on a farm.
Many rodeo events, such as roping, bucking and wrestling events, involve rough handling which puts animals at risk of serious injury and death.
Injuries can include broken bones, neck and spinal injuries or internal damage. It can take up to 48 hours after the injury occurs to be identified.
The flank strap is tied around a bucking horse or bull’s sensitive hindquarters, creating pressure and discomfort that leads them to buck in an effort to remove the strap. Points are also awarded to the rider based on their use of spurs on the animal.
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Read & share: It’s time to stop using taxpayer money to fund inhumane events
“With a myriad of positive events that could use funds to reinvigorate the tourism sector and celebrate culture, community, and compassion, it would be incredibly disappointing for the Province to sink funding into a cruel and outdated practice that, as the majority of British Columbians agree, is better left in the past.”
Read the VHS’s opinion piece published in the Daily Hive Vancouver.
Ask your newly-elected Mayor & Council to protect animals from concerning rodeo events
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
Many communities have no protections preventing inherently inhumane rodeo practices. Now is the time to act to prevent animals from being used in cruel rodeo events!
During recent local elections in British Columbia, the VHS and advocates reached out to candidates on key animal welfare issues in their community, including the use of animals in inhumane rodeo events.
As local decision-makers move out of election season, now is an important time for residents to call for change. You can take action, whether you live in Langley Township, Chilliwack or elsewhere! Encourage your Mayor and Council to follow the lead of the City of Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver by passing a motion to prohibit inhumane rodeo practices, including roping, bucking, wrestling and mutton busting (children riding sheep) events.
Use this quick email tool to send a message to your newly-elected Mayor and Council. Note: If you live outside of Canada and want to take action, you can find your Mayor and Council’s contact information on your municipality’s websiteanduse the template text for inspiration.
Take Action: Email your Mayor & Council
Tip:Personalize your message to make it more impactful! The template below is editable, so feel free to share more about why this issue is important to you and alternative community events that you’d prefer to see more of.
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being and welfare of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
Footage illustrates inhumane treatment of animals in rodeo events
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being and welfare of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being and welfare of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
Take Action
Municipal elections are taking place in British Columbia on October 15th. The lead up to these elections is a crucial opportunity to raise your concerns with candidates running for Mayor and Council in your community about the inhumane treatment of animals in rodeo events andnote it as an election issue for you.
Specifically, you may wish to ask candidates the following question:
If elected, will you support a municipal bylaw that follows the lead of other municipalities, like the City of Vancouver and District of North Vancouver, in prohibiting inhumane rodeo events and practices, such as roping, bucking, wrestling, mutton busting, and the use of flank straps and spurs?
Tip: To find your local candidates, visit your municipality’s website or search for “[Your municipality’s name] local election 2022”. You can find the list of candidates in Chilliwack and Langley Township below.
VANCOUVER, October 5, 2022 – The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) has released new footage from two B.C. rodeos held this summer and is raising concerns about the treatment of animals at the events.
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being and welfare of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
The footage reveals recurring animal welfare issues, including stressed and frightened animals being roughly handed and deliberately agitated into “performing” for the public, at a controversial new rodeo that was held in Langley Township last month and from the Chilliwack rodeo in August.
The VHS points to clips that show calves, horses and bulls thrashing around in the chutes prior to being released into the rodeo arena. In two instances, horses in the chute can be seen stuck in unnatural and potentially dangerous positions, with one horse on their back and another with their leg stuck in the side of the chute.
Clips also show handlers pulling on the ears and tails of a number of animals; the VHS has long criticized these methods of deliberately agitating animals, which are frequently used in rodeo to goad the animal into bursting out of the chute at high speed or bucking wildly.
In a number of clips, animals that appear reluctant to move or leave the chute or arena are roughly handled. One clip shows a frightened sheep being shoved up onto their hind legs before falling onto their side. Another captures a sheep being dragged into the middle of the arena.
“The rodeo industry has long claimed that the animals used in rodeos love to perform. This footage, once again, proves otherwise,” VHS Campaign Director Emily Pickett notes. “If the animals love to perform, why is it necessary to twist their ears, drag them by their tails, and fasten uncomfortable straps around their sensitive underbelly to make them do so?”
Pickett also points out that these events put animals at risk of injury and death, all for the sake of public entertainment.
The VHS points to footage from the Chilliwack rodeo of a calf, who is being chased by a rider on horseback during a roping event, running into the arena fence at full speed; a bull repeatedly falling while being lassoed following a bucking event; and a horse who falls on their side during a bucking event and hits their head on the ground.
Another clip shows a bull fall and land on his horn, appearing to injure it. Afterward, the bull seems disoriented and is reluctant to move. Handlers proceed to pull and drag the bull by the tail, in an attempt to get the animal to leave the arena.
The VHS has been calling on organizers for both rodeos and local City Councils to remove inhumane rodeo events, including roping, bucking, wrestling and mutton busting, from the event programs.
“Recent polling from Research Co. shows that the majority of British Columbians are opposed to the use of animals in rodeos. Meanwhile, more and more communities have moved away from rodeos and toward events like fairs,” says Pickett.
With the upcoming local elections, the VHS is hoping that candidates for Mayor and Council will consider the many alternatives for bringing the community together without the use of rodeo events that cause unnecessary fear and suffering to animals for the sake of public entertainment.
Municipal elections are coming up. Will you cast your vote for a kinder world for animals?
On October 15th, municipalities in B.C. will hold their elections of local government and school boards. The weeks leading up to this election are the perfect opportunity to advocate for better protections for animals!
Candidates for mayor and council are listening to the concerns of residents and laying out their platform. By writing to the candidates and asking questions in local debates, you can:
Let the incoming local government know that animal welfare is a priority for residents
Find out where candidates stand on protecting animals
Help to build a community that is kinder to all species by helping to elect animal-friendly candidates
Get updates and alerts about local elections in B.C.
This action has now ended.
Thank you to everyone who signed up for updates and who advocated for animal protection during the election. The VHS will continue to work with successful candidates to build a kinder community for all species who live here.
Contact your local candidates to express your support for animal-friendly policies
Let your candidates know that animal protection is a priority to the residents they hope to represent. Below is an email template you can copy and customize when you reach out to your candidates by phone, email, or social media.
I am writing regarding your local election campaign. As a resident, I would like to express my support for bylaws and practices that consider the welfare of animals and the many people in our community who care for them.
I encourage you to support policies that protect the well-being of animals, including:
- Supporting pet-friendly affordable housing
- Reducing animal-based food purchasing
- Supporting an end to the use of animals in entertainment
- Ending the keeping of wild and exotic animals who suffer in captivity
I would be interested to hear about your platform commitments related to animal protection. Please reach out if you can provide any details about how you will support kindness toward all species if elected.
Thank you.
Tip: To find your local candidates, visit your municipality’s website or search for “[Your municipality’s name] local election 2022”. You can find the list of candidates in Vancouver here.
Attend local debates and ask questions.
Wild and exotic animals (animals not native to B.C.) kept in captivity have complex needs that aren’t being met in cages and tanks and that are crucial for their physical and mental well-being.
Asking questions at mayoral debates and other local events helps you to learn where candidates stand on animal protection issues, and lets candidates know that animal welfare is a priority of residents.
Below are some suggested questions covering a range of municipal policies.
Animals in captivity
Wild, exotic animals have unique needs that cannot be met in captivity. If elected, will you support ending the keeping of wild and exotic animals in permanent captivity for the sake of entertainment and education, in favour of genuine rescue, rehab and release programs and wildlife conservation efforts?
Currently, provincial Controlled Alien Species legislation only restricts the private keeping of certain animal species, while many animals that are not suitable for captivity fall through the gaps. For instance, provincial laws do not prohibit the private keeping of zebras. Municipalities have the power to introduce positive lists, which proactively only allow animals that are evidenced to be a suitable fit for domestic environments. Would you support a positive pet list approach?
Animals in Entertainment
As we learn more about animal welfare, more people are opposing the use of animals in entertainment such as rodeos and sled dog tourism. If elected, will you support ending the use of animals for entertainment purposes in favour of animal and family-friendly events?
The presence of horse-drawn vehicles in urban areas poses a risk to horses, pedestrians, and drivers. Montreal has already banned horse-drawn carriages. If elected, would you support a move away from horse-drawn vehicles?
Farmed Animals
Municipalities take a stance on dietary choices when they purchase food for meetings, events, and concessions, or offer food-related funding. The City of Vancouver has already committed to exploring a 20% shift toward plant-based foods, which will help to decrease emissions, cut food purchasing costs, and save animal lives. Would you support a similar commitment to increase plant-based food purchasing?
Companion animals
British Columbia is experiencing a housing crisis, and many people with pets are finding it extremely difficult to find affordable housing. If elected, will you support ending the “no pets” rental policies?
During the flooding crisis in late 2021, many families with pets were left without adequate accommodation options. Would you support emergency planning that considers animals, including companion animals?
Wildlife
There are significant gaps in provincial legislation around rodent poison use, as many animal protection and wildlife rescue organizations have pointed out. Would you support a full ban on dangerous rodenticides being used on municipal property?
Vote on or before October 15
Your vote counts! You can use yours to speak up for animals on voting day or at advance polls. You can find details about advance polling dates, voting locations, and candidates on your municipality’s website.
The flank strap is tied around a bucking horse or bull’s sensitive hindquarters, creating pressure and discomfort that leads them to buck in an effort to remove the strap. Points are also awarded to the rider based on their use of spurs on the animal.
On Thursday, the Government of British Columbia announced new funding for fairs, festivals, and events; but the inclusion of one controversial and inhumane type of event is raising eyebrows among animal advocates.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, the Province will provide $30 million to support B.C.-based events, including sporting events, arts and culture events, community celebrations, agricultural fairs, and one baffling choice: rodeos.
Rodeos are the subject of growing criticism in British Columbia and around the world; and it’s easy to see why. Rodeo events cause unnecessary pain, fear, and stress to animals, both at the event and in countless practice sessions, all for a few moments of so-called entertainment.
To provoke the “performance” behaviours seen from animals in rodeos such as running and bucking, handlers and riders deliberately agitate these sensitive prey animals by pulling their ears, twisting their tails, and using uncomfortable tools like flank straps and spurs. Video footage released by the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) reveals a number of recurring welfare concerns at some of B.C.’s most recent rodeo events in Chilliwack and Langley Township.
The return of the Chilliwack rodeo this year, along with a controversial new rodeo held in Langley Township, has raised concerns about the well-being and welfare of animals made to perform in rodeo events. Video footage taken at both rodeos this summer shows stressed and frightened animals being roughly handled and deliberately agitated into fleeing and bucking.
Meanwhile, evidence of poor welfare practices in rodeo continue to stack up. A new study was published just one month ago on the stress caused by calf roping (also called tie-down roping), a controversial event which takes place annually at rodeos in B.C. Concerns raised in the study include the risk of injury to young calves “such as damage to the windpipe from the lasso, bruising and broken ribs from being violently yanked off their feet and being forced to the ground, and choking from the tightened rope around their neck.” The study concluded that calves exhibited signs of distress across every phase of the calf roping event, from being chased, lassoed and caught, to when they were released.
Unlike human athletes, animals used in rodeo cannot decide whether or not to participate. If given the choice, there’s no doubt they would opt out of being roped, wrestled, and roughly handled.
The use of taxpayer dollars to fund these inhumane events is especially bewildering given the widespread dissent to the practice. Recent polling shows that only 26% of British Columbians are in favour of using animals in rodeo and a whopping 64% are opposed; the remainder are undecided. As a whole, our society is placing increasing value in treating animals with care and respect.
Amongst governing bodies apparently more in tune with community values, the growing awareness around animal sentience is inspiring a shift away from this type of animal exploitation for the sake of public entertainment. The City of Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver have already implemented a ban on rodeo events, as have the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and a host of municipalities and regions worldwide. The Cloverdale Rodeo dropped four of its most concerning events after the death of a calf in 2007, and soon afterwards, the Luxton Rodeo near Victoria and the Abbotsford Rodeo were cancelled in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
It is difficult to see the Province’s announcement of rodeo funding as anything but a confident stride into the wrong side of history. That is why a new campaign from the VHS is calling on the Province to direct funding toward family-friendly community events, rather than rodeo events.
With a myriad of positive events that could use funds to reinvigorate the tourism sector and celebrate culture, community, and compassion, it would be incredibly disappointing for the Province to sink funding into a cruel and outdated practice that, as the majority of British Columbians agree, is better left in the past.
This action has now ended. Thank you to the 452 advocates who signed up to receive the MLA engagement guide. Please see the Current Campaigns page for more ways you can help animals used in entertainment.
Speak up for sled dogs & wild animals in captivity
The government has so far been inactive on the VHS’s recommendations to improve laws for sled dogs and wild animals in captivity. Will you ask your MLA to speak up to change the laws? Take action now!
Sled dogs & wild animals in captivity need your help
Wild, exotic animals confined in captivity and dogs suffering in thecommercial sled dog industry are two issues that the provincial government has acknowledged are on their ‘to-do list’; but action continues to be delayed and animals suffer in the meantime.
Here’s where YOU come in! By contacting your B.C. MLA, you can help ensure these crucial animal welfare issues are acknowledged as a priority for the provincial government.
You don’t need to be an expert on either of these topics. Instead, what’s important is that they hear why these issues matter to you; what your concerns are; and that you want them to raise the issues, along with the VHS’s recommendations, with the relevant B.C. Ministers.
The VHS put together a step-by-step guide to help engage your MLA and is here to support you along the way. Sign up to receive your MLA engagement guide and get in touch with your MLA today!
Sign up below to get your MLA engagement guide
This action has now ended.
452 people signed up to receive the MLA engagement guide. Thank you for taking action.
Wild and exotic animals (animals not native to B.C.) kept in captivity have complex needs that aren’t being met in cages and tanks and that are crucial for their physical and mental well-being.
In captivity, these animals are are cut off from exploring new territory with engaging sights and smells. They are often kept alone or in unnatural social groups, with the inability to escape from other animals they don’t get along with. They are also unable to engage in many behaviours that are natural to them, including hunting. As a result, captive wild and exotic animals often show signs of stress, boredom, and even aggression.
Many wild and exotic animals are legally kept in captivity throughout B.C., including:
kept in zoos and aquariums with enclosures a fraction of the size of their natural home range
kept in poor conditions by animal rental agencies for use in TV, film and events
suffering as a result of inadequate housing, nutrition and care when kept as pets
The VHS has been documenting the conditions of animals at the Greater Vancouver Zoo and Vancouver Aquarium for years.
The video below illustrates the need for changes to B.C.’s rules around wild and exotic animals in captivity.
Wild and exotic animals are suffering in captivity in British Columbia as a result of outdated regulations. Learn more and take action: https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/?p=26184
2) Sled dogs in commercial sled dog tourism industry
In the commercial sled dog tourism industry are often kept chained outdoors for prolonged periods of time, with little opportunity to exhibit natural behaviours or socialize. When they can no longer be used by the industry, they are subjected to inhumane methods of euthanasia.
Undercover investigations and whistleblowers have shared evidence of:
dogs pacing repetitively
dogs chained in barren yards with access to dog houses that provide little protection from the heat and cold
stories of dogs being euthanized inhumanely, including by gunshot
In fact, B.C.’s current Sled Dog Standards of Care allow for sled dogs to be tethered or caged for prolonged periods of time, as they are only required to be released once a day and there are no requirements for how long. Sled dog tour companies are permitted to shoot surplus sled dogs, so long as the operator has made reasonable efforts to try to rehome the sled dog.
The video below, from B.C.-based tour companies, highlights the need to update the province’s sled dog regulations.
Sled dogs in British Columbia are still suffering as a result of outdated regulations. Learn more and take action: https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/?p=26184
Unable to meet or speak with your MLA, but still want to take action?
VANCOUVER, July 27, 2022 – Removal of the rodeo and chuckwagon events from the Calgary Stampede program would have virtually no impact on attendance rates and would bring in new crowds, according to a Research Co. poll commissioned by the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) during this year’s Stampede.
64% of Calgarians polled indicated that they had attended or were likely to attend the Stampede this year. When asked whether they would attend the Stampede if the rodeo and chuckwagon racing events were removed, 63% indicated they would be likely to attend.
“Until now, we’ve assumed that the Stampede has continued to host inhumane events out of financial motivation,” VHS Campaign Director Emily Pickett shared. “These poll results prove that removing the rodeo and chuckwagons would have little impact on visitor attendance.”
The polling results also indicated that the removal of controversial animal events would pique the interest of new crowds, with 24% of non-attendees from this year expressing interest in attending the Stampede without rodeo and chuckwagon events. Of these, the most prominent change was in the youngest group polled; 43% of non-attendees from this year aged 18-34 said they would be likely to attend the Stampede if the rodeo and chuckwagon races were removed.
“We have heard from many people who avoid the Stampede because of the rodeo and chuckwagon races. Dropping those events is a sustainable change that would attract new supporters and visitors to the Stampede,” Pickett noted.
The support for a rodeo- and chuckwagon-free Stampede draws attention to the 103 animals who have died at the Stampede since the VHS began tracking incidents in 1986, including a chuckwagon horse who was injured and consequently euthanized at this year’s event. The VHS filed cruelty complaints to the Calgary Humane Society regarding incidents captured in Sportsnet coverage of 2022 rodeo events.
“These high-risk and inhumane events draw growing public criticism year after year. It’s time for Stampede officials and Calgary City Council to remove these unnecessary events from the Stampede program.”
Pickett invited anyone wishing to learn more about the animal welfare issues surrounding rodeo to visit RodeoTruth.com, an informational website made in collaboration by the VHS and concerned Calgarians.
Annual Calgary Stampede wraps up, but not without cruelty and controversy
The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS), concerned Calgarians and animal advocates across Canada are continuing to call for an end to the rodeo and chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede. This comes after a horse was euthanized following a traumatic injury in the chuckwagon races and two other incidents during a bucking event and steer wrestling event prompted cruelty complaints.
The VHS issued a media releasefollowing the inhumane handling of a horse during the bucking event and steer in the wrestling event, as well as the death of the horse in the chuckwagon race. The VHS is calling on the Calgary Stampede and Calgary City Council to remove the chuckwagon races and rodeo events from the Stampede program.
#SayNoToRodeo
Show your support for ending the Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races and rodeo events by taking and sharing the #SayNoToRodeo pledge.
Horse fatality during chuckwagon race
According to a release by the Stampede, a horse sustained an injury during the fourth heat of the chuckwagon races on Thursday, July 14th, and was euthanized.
A witness to the incident said that the injured horse fell and was subsequently trampled by the wagon. They described it as pure chaos, with Stampede staff surrounding the injured horse with tarps, to prevent the public from seeing what was taking place.
More than 70 horses have been killed in the chuckwagon races since the VHS started tracking fatalitiesin 1986. In the last two decades, there have only been 3 years in which the races did not result in horse fatalities: 2003, 2004, and 2016. The last year the chuckwagon races were held in 2019, six horses were killed.
Cruelty during bucking and wrestling events
The VHS also filed cruelty reports to the Calgary Humane Society regarding two other incidents that occurred at the Stampede this year.
1. Horse struck in the face during saddle bronc event
The first incident happened during a bucking event, in which a horse was repeatedly struck in the face when the animal was reluctant to leave the chute.
In another incident during a steer wrestling event, a steer’s neck was twisted by the competitor until the animal fell to the ground, landing awkwardly on his hind leg. Moments later the steer was seen limping.
Raise awareness about animal suffering at the Calgary Stampede
Follow & share Rodeo Truth on social media
Check outRodeoTruth.com, a collaboration between the Vancouver Humane Society and concerned Calgarians, for more information about the realities of rodeo.
You can also follow Rodeo Truth onFacebook, Instagram and TikTok for more content you can share to raise awareness of – and opposition to – cruel rodeo events.
Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races. Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur/WeAnimals Media
VANCOUVER, July 15, 2022 – The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) is calling on the Calgary Stampede and Calgary City Council to remove the chuckwagon races from the Stampede program following the death of a chuckwagon horse during yesterday’s event.
According to a release by the Stampede, a horse sustained an injury during the fourth heat of the chuckwagon races on July 14th and had to be euthanized. This follows the deaths of six horses in 2019, when the chuckwagon races were last held prior to the pandemic. More than 70 chuckwagon horses have died since the VHS started tracking deaths in 1986.
“There’s a reason why the chuckwagon races are dubbed the half-mile of hell,” says VHS Campaign Director Emily Pickett. “The fact that horses die nearly every year in this event illustrates this.”
The VHS points to the structure of the chuckwagon event as inherently dangerous due to the high speed of the race and the close proximity of the horses and wagons to each other, which also presents a risk of creating a chain reaction if one horse falls or is injured. The VHS also cites concerns around the use of thoroughbred race horses in the event; animal Scientist Temple Grandin has noted that thoroughbreds are often overbred for speed rather than skeletal strength, making their legs susceptible to injury.
“The chuckwagon horse fatalities at the Calgary Stampede can no longer be called ‘unpreventable’. We know exactly what would prevent them; removing the chuckwagon races, which have caused the deaths of horses nearly every year.”
The VHS is also calling for an end to calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling and bucking events at the Calgary Stampede, noting that the events rely on the use of fear, stress and pain to make the animals perform for public entertainment.The VHS has filed cruelty complaints to the Calgary Humane Society regarding two concerning incidents witnessed on Sportsnet coverage of this year’s Stampede rodeo, including an incident in which a horse in a bucking event was repeatedly struck in the face when the animal was reluctant to leave the chute. In another incident during a steer wrestling event, a steer’s neck was twisted by the competitor until the animal fell to the ground, landing awkwardly on his hind leg. Moments later the steer was seen limping.
“Public polling shows that the majority of Canadians oppose the use of animals in rodeos,” said Pickett. “It’s time for the Calgary Stampede to move away from dangerous and inhumane events that pose a risk to animals and to instead focus on the many alternative activities that already attract hundreds of thousands of attendees every year.”
The VHS has teamed up with concerned Calgarians to draw attention to animal welfare issues at the Stampede’s chuckwagon races and rodeo events through a collaborative project, RodeoTruth.com. The Rodeo Truth website includes a #SayNoToRodeo pledge, which more than 2,100 people have already signed to indicate their opposition to animal performances at the Stampede.
