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Global momentum builds to end horse carriages on busy city streets

  • Around the world, meaningful progress is being made to end the practice of operating horse-drawn carriages on busy city streets. 
  • In Cartagena, Colombia, where the city’s historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, horse carriages are being replaced with electric ones amid growing concerns about horse welfare and safety. 
  • In New York, the city’s new mayor has announced support for removing horse carriages from Central Park and working with stakeholders to end the practice. 
  • Locally, the VHS’s campaign to remove horse carriages from high traffic streets in Vancouver has gathered more than 3,000 signatures and was recently featured in the Daily Hive. The campaign has been seen more than 330,000 times on social media.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the petition urging Vancouver City Council to prohibit horse carriages from busy city streets, and if you’ve already signed, please share it to help build momentum.

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Below is a template message that will be sent to Mayor Sim & Vancouver City Council. Tip: personalize the subject and message for added impact, or send a message directly to: mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

Horse carriages & traffic don’t mix 

Horses are sensitive prey animals, not suited for navigating the increasingly crowded, noisy, and unpredictable streets of a modern city. Yet, Vancouver bylaws still allow horse-drawn carriages to operate on busy roads in high-traffic commercial areas throughout the city. 

These urban environments are filled with loud noises, fast-moving traffic, hard pavement, vehicle exhaust, and crowds that can easily startle horses, no matter how experienced or well-trained they are. 

Previous horse carriage incidents 

Below are a few previous incidents that show how quickly things can become dangerous for the horses and the public when horse carriages operate in busy urban spaces. 

  • Victoria, 2024: A horse is spooked after an equipment malfunction, resulting in the driver losing control of the horse, who proceeds to run and buck through an intersection. Passengers jumped out of the carriage before the horse collapsed on the concrete. 
  • Victoria, 2023: A spooked horse flees for three blocks before tripping and falling over a bike lane curb. The incident resulted in the driver being thrown from the carriage and both the driver and horse suffered minor cuts. 
  • Victoria, 2018: In downtown Victoria, a horse-drawn carriage rolled back and bumped into a bus that was following too closely. The impact caused both horses to fall, blocking traffic and requiring an emergency response. The horses remained on the ground for more than five minutes, during which members of the public attempted to assist. Those assisting were not directed to stay clear of the horses’ legs, putting themselves at risk of serious injury. 
  • Victoria, 2018: A second incident occurred only a few months later, when horses were spooked and veered off course and crashed into a parked vehicle. Witnesses reported that the horses smashed the vehicle’s windows and even climbed onto its roof with their front hooves. 
  • Vancouver, 2016: A loud car horn startled a team of horses pulling a carriage, causing them to bolt along Stanley Park’s seawall with passengers on board. The horses left the road, crossed a bike path, and smashed a park bench with the carriage before continuing for approximately 100 metres. The driver fell from the carriage, and several frightened passengers leapt off as it sped along. Multiple people were injured, and there were concerns that the horses could have plunged over the sea wall and into the water. 

Holiday event observations in Vancouver 

In recent years, the VHS has documented horse carriages at holiday events in busy commercial areas, such as Kerrisdale and Commercial Drive.  

The footage shows recurring welfare concerns and safety risks, including: 

  • Horses working in close proximity to moving vehicles; 
  • Horse carriages turning across oncoming traffic at busy intersections; 
  • Horses exposed to loud, sudden, and unpredictable noises and movement, such as sirens, car alarms, music, dogs, and bicycles; 
  • Members of the public approaching and interacting with horses without supervision; 

Horses showing possible signs of stress or agitation, including head shaking, bit chewing, and pawing. 

Sign & share the petition

Join the VHS in urging Vancouver City Council to protect the well-being and safety of horses and the public by prohibiting horse-drawn carriages from busy city streets.

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A rare return: What Jorge the turtle reveals about captivity

After more than four decades in captivity, a loggerhead sea turtle named Jorge is finally swimming free—an outcome that once seemed almost impossible. His story, shared earlier this year in the National Geographic, highlights both the power of public advocacy and the deep, lasting harms that captive display can cause to wild animals.

After 41 years in captivity, this celebrity sea turtle is finally swimming home

Here’s how Jorge the sea turtle prepared for the improbable journey-decades after he was found tangled in a fishing net off the coast of Argentina.

A remarkable return after 41 years in captivity

Jorge was rescued as a young turtle in 1984 after becoming tangled in fishing nets off the coast of Argentina. Instead of being rehabilitated and returned to the ocean—a practice that was uncommon at the time—he was sent hundreds of miles inland to an aquarium in Mendoza. There, he spent more than half his life in a shallow tank, far from the ocean, fed an unnatural diet, and deprived of the complex conditions sea turtles need to thrive.

For decades, Jorge became a local celebrity. But as awareness grew about the impacts of captivity on wild animals, public concern grew as well. Eventually, more than 60,000 people signed a petition calling for Jorge’s release, and environmental lawyers filed a lawsuit to push for his return to the sea.

That advocacy worked.

In 2021, a coalition of researchers, veterinarians, and conservation institutions began a careful three-year rehabilitation process to determine whether Jorge could survive in the wild. Through gradual reintroduction to saltwater, live prey, ocean-like temperatures, and currents, Jorge relearned skills he had almost lost. In April 2025, at roughly 60 years old, he was released into the Atlantic Ocean.

It was his first time swimming freely in open water in four decades.

Satellite tracking showed Jorge travelling north toward the warm waters of Brazil, the region he knew as a young turtle. Against the odds, he is navigating currents, hunting, resting, and behaving like a wild sea turtle once again.

Jorge’s story shows advocacy can change animals’ lives

Jorge’s freedom did not happen by accident. It happened because tens of thousands of people spoke up, signed petitions, applied legal pressure, and refused to accept that lifelong captivity was the only option for a healthy wild animal.

This is a powerful reminder that advocacy matters. Public voices can influence policy decisions, challenge outdated practices, and create opportunities for animals who have long been denied their natural lives. Without sustained public pressure, Jorge would likely still be swimming in circles in a shallow tank instead of enjoying his freedom in his home waters.

Captive display prevents wild animals from thriving

As hopeful as Jorge’s story is, it also underscores a sobering reality: captivity prevented him from living as a sea turtle for most of his life.

During his decades in confinement, Jorge lost essential survival instincts. He did not know how to hunt, navigate open waters, or respond to other animals in his environment. His rehabilitation required years of intensive, expert intervention—resources that are rarely available for most captive animals.

Captive wildlife are unable to engage in many natural behaviours that are crucial to their physical, social and psychological well-being. Even well-intentioned facilities struggle to replicate the vast space, social complexity, sensory stimulation, and choice that animals experience in the wild.

As Jorge’s case shows, captivity can strip animals of the skills they need to survive, leaving them dependent on human care.

Most captive animals will never return to the wild

Jorge is an exception, not the rule.

Many animals who are kept in captivity for long periods are not releasable. Animals accustomed to human interaction, proximity, and feeding often lose their fear of people, struggle to forage independently, or lack the social and survival skills needed in the wild. This is especially true for animals bred in captivity, who may never have learned natural behaviours at all.

Once wild instincts are lost, release can be dangerous or fatal for animals. This is why prevention matters so deeply.

The most effective way to ensure wild animals remain wild is to stop keeping and breeding wild, exotic animals in captivity in the first place. Rather than continuing systems that breed or import animals who cannot be released, we must shift toward models that prioritize animal well-being.

That means transitioning zoos and aquariums away from permanent display of wild animals and toward sanctuary-based models that focus on rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured or displaced native wildlife. Sanctuaries exist to serve animals—not to use them as attractions—and they recognize that freedom, not entertainment, is the ultimate goal.

Take action on zoos & aquariums
Take action on exotic animal rules

Jorge’s story brings hope & learning

Jorge’s journey is inspiring, but it should not distract us from the larger truth it reveals. No animal should have to spend 40+ years in captivity before we finally ask if a small enclosure is the best place for them to thrive.

His story shows us what can happen when advocacy succeeds, and why we must work to ensure fewer animals need such extraordinary intervention again.

Wild animals belong in the wild, and protecting them starts with the choices we make today.

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Podcast: Hastings Racecourse announces closure in Vancouver (The Early Edition)

Hastings Racecourse announces closure in Vancouver (The Early Edition)

Chantelle Archambault from the Vancouver Humane Society discusses the closure of Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, which was announced this past Friday. Originally aired on The Early Edition from CBC News; shared on The Informed Animal Ally podcast.

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On December 5th, Hastings Racecourse announced the immediate end of horse racing at the province’s last track.

The Vancouver Humane Society’s Chantelle Archambault sat down with Stephen Quinn from The Early Edition on CBC Radio to share the VHS’s response, previous advocacy around the racetrack, and what a compassionate retirement for horses would look like. Interview shared with permission.

Call for a safe retirement for horses

Note: This written discussion has been edited for length.

Table Of Contents
  1. Hastings Racecourse closes: The VHS responds
  2. Report on Hastings Racecourse
  3. What's next for the horses?
  4. Declining public support

Hastings Racecourse closes: The VHS responds

A close up photo of a horse with a bridle.

Stephen: Thoroughbred horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse is ending after more than a century. In fact, it’s been going there for about 130 years. The operator announced on Friday it will no longer run a racing season at the historic facility.

Great Canadian Entertainment, which operates the site, described the move as an extremely difficult decision. It said the decision was made because of a lack of economic feasibility to move forward with another season of horse racing.

Now, the Vancouver Humane Society released a report earlier this year highlighting the need for public subsidies to remain operational.

And joining us now is Chantelle Archambault. She is the Communications Director of the Vancouver Humane Society. Good morning to you, Chantelle.

Chantelle: Good morning. Thank you so much for having me here.

Stephen: Thanks for being with us. Your reaction to the news on Friday that the race course is shutting down after being operational for well over a century?

Chantelle: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, on on the one hand, we’re so grateful for this step toward a future where animals aren’t bred for use risky entertainment activities like horse racing.

The Vancouver Humane Society has been advocating for an end to horse racing at Hastings for many years, given the animal welfare concerns associated with the industry.

And at the same time, we recognize that it brings quite a lot of uncertainty for those connected to the horse racing industry.

We’re very hopeful that all parties, regardless of their perspective on horse racing, share a common priority of ensuring that every horse currently involved in racing is provided with safe, secure, compassionate retirement.

That’s why we’re encouraging both the provincial government and industry stakeholders to prioritize meaningfully supporting both workers and animals in transitioning away from horse racing,

Report on Hastings Racecourse

Stephen: Your organization commissioned a report earlier this year on the history of the Vancouver Hastings Racecourse. What were some of the key findings of that report?

Chantelle: We looked at both the economic and animal welfare impacts of racing.

We found that there were decades of decline at Vancouver’s Hasting Racecourse, and the track was relying on public subsidies to remain operational.

It outlines that there was decline in attendance, revenue, race days.

  • The race days went down from about 150 a year in the 1980s to about 45 planned for 2025.
  • Attendance has collapsed from about 1.1 million people in 1982 to about 150,000 in 2022.
  • In 2023 and 2024, the horse racing industry received about $9 million from slot machining revenue to keep it running.

So there’s been a heavy reliance on public funds to keep this industry going.

And the report also, of course, highlighted the risks that horses face in racing. At least 14 horses died at Hastings in 2023. In 2024, the fatality rate was 1.78 deaths per 1000 starts, which is well above the industry average and nearly double the rate at tracks that have stronger safety rules.

So given that, the racing industry really no longer aligns with the City of Vancouver’s priorities for public access, sustainability, economic resilience. We were recommending an end to horse racing at Hastings Park when the current operating agreement for the racetrack expires, which would have been in 2026.

Stephen: I’m sure the people who work at the track and work with horses would say that they certainly do their best to ensure the health of horses and to make sure that they stay healthy, do they not?

Chantelle: I absolutely am sure they do. It’s impossible to work with animals and not love them and care for them.

But the reality is that there were so many deaths at this track that it seems like it’s an inevitable, inherent part of the racing industry.

What’s next for the horses?

A white horse running in a fenced area

Stephen: So what will happen then to the horses now that they’re no longer competing at the racetrack?

Chantelle: It’s a great question. A responsible transition plan really means developing clear, transparent retirement pathways for every horce that’s racing.

Horses are only able to race for a fraction of their natural lifespan, so this should be a baked in part of the industry, and we are hopeful that it is. Under normal circumstances, any industry that relies on animals should already have a well-developed safety net and in place for animals who age out of the industry.

From our perspective, a good outcome would be for the horses to move out of the racing industry into an environment where they can have positive experiences, bonds, and the freedom to express their natural behaviors.

So some examples of that would be retiring to a sanctuary or therapy horses, in a setting where they can regularly have time to run free.

Declining public support

Stephen: Chantelle, is this something you see just happening here in the Lower Mainland or in British Columbia, or are we seeing a decline in in horse racing operations across North America?

Chantelle: We really only have been looking very closely at British Columbia, but I have heard whisperings that there there is a wider decline across the industry as a whole.

There’s decreasing public support for this industry. I think it’s clear that people are seeing across multiple industries that use animals and put them at risk like this, that there is a decline in public support as people learn more about animal welfare and animal sentience and learn that animals are beings who can feel pain, feel fear, feel stress, and care about their lives.

Stephen: Chantelle, we’ll leave it there this morning. Thank you so much for taking the time. We appreciate it.

Chantelle: Thank you so much for having me.

Stephen: That is Chantelle Archambault, who is the Communications Director at the Vancouver Humane Society, talking about the end of horse racing at Hastings Park after 130 years, and what will happen to the horses and all of the people who work with those horses as well.

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VHS responds to Hastings Racecourse announcement of end to horse racing

A horse at rest in a paddock

The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) has learned that Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse is ending horse racing effective immediately. This announcement follows recent government funding changes, including an end to casino slot machine revenue being provided to the horse racing industry, and declining attendance, shrinking revenues, and increasing animal welfare concerns in recent years.  

A VHS-commissioned report released earlier this year highlighted decades of decline at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse and its dependence on public subsidies to remain operational. The report also raised concerns about the welfare of horses used in racing. Recent data illustrates the serious risks horses face. At Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse, at least 14 horses have died since 2023. According to the B.C. Gaming & Policy Enforcement Branch, the 2024 fatality rate at Hastings reached 1.78 deaths per 1,000 starts, which is markedly higher than the North American industry average of 1.11 and nearly double the rate at tracks operating under stronger safety regulations (0.90). 

This announcement marks a milestone toward a future in which animals are not bred, used, and put at risk for entertainment. At the same time, the VHS recognizes the uncertainty the decision creates for the people and animals currently connected to B.C.’s horse racing industry. 

While perspectives on horse racing vary, we hope all parties share a common priority: ensuring that every horse currently involved in racing is provided with a safe, secure, and compassionate retirement. We encourage the provincial government and industry stakeholders to provide support for both workers and animals alike in transitioning away from the horse racing industry. 

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B.C. Government ends slot machine funding for horse racing

  • As of January 31, 2026, the B.C. Government will no longer provide casino slot machine revenue to the horse racing industry.
  • This marks a meaningful step toward phasing out an industry that has long depended on government funding, despite declining public interest, shrinking revenues, and ongoing concerns about the welfare of horses used in racing.
  • The VHS welcomes this progress while acknowledging the uncertainty for those currently involved in the horse racing industry.
  • Government and industry are urged to prioritize a safe, compassionate retirement for all horses and to support both workers and animals through the industry’s transition.
Read the news
Read the report
Welfare concerns

Province to cut slot machine revenue for Hastings Racecourse

The cut signals what may be another nail in the coffin for B.C’s last horse track.

“Even with continued government investment from casino-generated revenue, the industry is not sustainable due to declining revenues, public participation and attendance, a letter from the province reads.”

“Government officials said the amount of slot machine income that went to the horse racing industry was about $8 to $10 million annually.”

What will happen to the horse racing industry?

While media reports state that it is unknown whether the 2026 horse racing season will go forward, statements from industry stakeholders and the B.C. government observe that declining revenues and public attendance make horse racing unsustainable in the province.

A recent VHS report outlines the high racing-related fatality rate, including at least 14 horse deaths since 2023, and the long-term decline in attendance and revenue at Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse. The report recommends that the City of Vancouver end horse racing at Vancouver’s Hastings Park when the current Operating Agreement expires in 2026. 

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Slot machine revenue for Hastings Racecourse will be pulled just months before the racetrack’s lease ends with the City of Vancouver in 2026.

More than 1,500 advocates have already signed a petition calling for the lease to not be renewed, supporting an end to horse racing at B.C.’s last racetrack.

Petition

Why has the VHS been raising awareness about horse racing?

Deaths at Vancouver racecourse

Hastings Racecourse has seen a concerning pattern of horse deaths, including eight in 2023, four in 2024, and at least two between April and June 2025. In 2024, the rate of horse deaths at Hastings was 1.78 per 1,000 starts—much higher than the industry average of 1.11 and nearly double that of tracks under stricter safety rules (0.90).

Early start, lifelong harm

Most horses start training and/or racing at just 2 years old, before their bones are fully developed. This puts them at high risk for serious injuries and early decline. Thoroughbred horses are often overbred for speed rather than skeletal strength, making their legs susceptible to fatal injury. 

Painful & stressful practices

Horses often endure harsh training methods and uncomfortable equipment, like whips and tight mouth bits, that can cause stress and pain.

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New animals at Happy Herd farm sanctuary highlight Giving Tuesday

A small baby goat in a wheelchair at a farm sanctuary
  • The Vancouver Humane Society is partnering with The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary to make life better for animals this Giving Tuesday!
  • The joint campaign is raising funds for life-saving work at both local organizations.
  • Giving Tuesday gifts will go to essential care needs like food and veterinary care for rescued farmed animals at The Happy Herd.
  • They will also support emergency veterinary care for companion animals in low-income homes across B.C. and vital advocacy to create a brighter future for all animals.

Read the latest story in the Langley Advance Times highlighting some of the animals at The Happy Herd and how you can help.

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Support VHS and the Happy Herd

New animals at Happy Herd farm sanctuary highlight Giving Tuesday – Langley Advance Times

Vancouver Humane Society partners with Happy Herd to fundraise for the animal farm sanctuary

“At Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary in Aldergrove, the herd is growing and so is the need for support.”

“In recent weeks, the sanctuary has welcomed several new animals, each bringing their own story of survival.”

The sanctuary’s new animals include Cornish cross chickens “Angel and Daisy, who were raised in a horse stall, and Benji, who had been kept alone in a small cage.”

“Casper, a baby rooster, was found abandoned in a cardboard box.”

“He is understandably very scared, but every day his little personality shines through a little more,” said co-founder Diane Marsh.

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Support VHS and the Happy Herd
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Vancouver Humane Society raises alarm over surge in emergency veterinary assistance requests

  • The Vancouver Humane Society is raising alarms about a dramatic increase in emergency veterinary assistance requests.
  • The McVitie Fund, which provides life-saving veterinary assistance to low-income B.C. residents, has seen more than 10 times as many applications so far in 2025 compared to 2020.
  • The rising cost of living as a driving force behind the growing need for help.
  • The VHS is reaching out to the community to help pets come home safe and calling for long-term solutions so no animal guardian is forced to choose between paying for their basic needs and life-saving pet care.

Read or watch the news story from CTV News Vancouver below.

Read or watch news story
Donate to save pets

Vancouver Humane Society raises alarm over surge in emergency veterinary assistance requests

The Vancouver Humane Society has expressed serious concerns regarding what they describe as an alarming trend in emergency veterinary assistance requests, which have reached unprecedented levels.

“The Vancouver Humane Society has expressed serious concerns regarding what they describe as an alarming trend in emergency veterinary assistance requests, which have reached unprecedented levels.”

“Chantelle Archambault from the Vancouver Humane Society referred to the McVitie Fund as a ‘lifeline for people who have nowhere else to turn.'”

“We’re seeing the cost of living is impacting everyone, and they’re just struggling to keep up,” she added.

“The program is designed to assist those living below the poverty line. Many beneficiaries rely on income sources such as Persons With Disabilities, Income Assistance, Canada Pension Plan, or Old Age Security.”

“Archambault explained that many individuals are left with only $100 to $200 after paying rent, making a large veterinary bill devastating.”

Read or watch news story
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Vancouver park board staff considers removing horse carriages from Stanley Park

  • A recent report from Vancouver park board staff includes a consideration for removing “animal-powered transportation” from Stanley Park.
  • For years, the VHS has called for the removal of horse-drawn carriages from the park.
  • The use of carriages in crowded urban environments poses a risk to horses and the public. Horses endure regular exposure to traffic, noise and pollution; long hours of standing and walking on hard surfaces; and hard labour under sometimes extreme weather conditions.
  • Other jurisdictions, such as the City of Montreal, have banned horse-drawn carriages due to animal welfare concerns and incidents.

Read media coverage on the report and the VHS’s campaign below. Stay tuned for updates!

Six-storey parkade among ideas for Stanley Park’s future

Park board staff are giving commissioners dozens of options to manage traffic in the park

“Vancouver park board commissioners will be asked to weigh up dozens of possible options to reduce the number of cars entering Stanley Park each year.”

“The document includes an option for removing ‘animal-powered transportation’ in the park.”

“The Vancouver Humane Society has a campaign to have the Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours business removed from the park.”

“‘Being surrounded by motor vehicle traffic forces horses to inhale toxic exhaust and causes them mental distress, which can make the animals unpredictable and potentially dangerous to park pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles,’ the society states.”

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VHS welcomes end to horse racing at Fraser Downs, calls for changes in Vancouver

Screenshot: Incident on October 19, 2023 from ElementsCasinoSurrey.com

  • Last week, Surrey’s Fraser Downs Racetrack announced its immediate closure.
  • The move follows a wider trend of waning public support for horse racing, plummeting revenues, and increased knowledge around animal sentience and well-being.
  • The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) welcomed the decision by the City of Survey to terminate the racecourse’s lease, and called for the City of Vancouver to follow suit with Hastings Racecourse.
  • A recent VHS report shared with the City of Vancouver in June outlines persistent animal welfare concerns and the long-term decline in attendance, revenue, and race days at Vancouver’s Hastings racecourse. The report recommends ending horse racing at Hastings Parks when the current Operating Agreement expires in 2026.
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Read media coverage on the racetrack’s closure and the VHS’s response below.

CTV News Vancouver

Horse racing ends in Surrey ‘effective immediately’ after city takes back land for development

The Fraser Downs Racetrack announced there would be no more horse racing “effective immediately” after the City of Surrey, which owns the land, decided to terminate its lease.

“The Fraser Downs Racetrack announced there would be no more horse racing ‘effective immediately’ after the City of Surrey, which owns the land, decided to terminate its lease.”

“The Cloverdale Fairgrounds track is one of two in B.C. and the only one that hosts standardbred harness racing.”

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CityNews Vancouver

‘Part of me is gone’: Abrupt end for Fraser Downs track a blow to B.C. horse racing

A groom at the Fraser Downs racetrack said the abrupt announcement of the harness racing track’s closure last week is a blow to her childhood memories.

“The Vancouver Humane Society welcoming the city’s decision, calling horse racing ‘outdated’ and ‘harmful’ entertainment.”

“‘While the closure at Fraser Downs marks an end to racing at that site, it is emblematic of a wider, long-overdue shift away from horse racing,’ the society’s campaign director, Emily Pickett, said in a statement.”

“‘Horse racing inherently subjects horses to pressure and danger, debilitating injuries, early physical decline, and at times fatal outcomes.'”

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VHS responds to Calgary Stampede’s new animal care statements

Screenshot: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh via CTV News

  • With the 2025 Calgary Stampede almost a week away, organizers are carefully curating a narrative on improved animal welfare at their controversial and deadly rodeo and chuckwagon races.
  • While minor changes like shaded areas and heart monitors are being promoted as signs of progress, they do little to address the serious, ongoing risks animals face in these events.
  • At least 109 animals have died at the Stampede’s animal events since 1986.
  • The VHS continues to call for a shift away from rodeo and chuckwagon racing.

Read media coverage of the new rules below, share your concerns in the comments, and join VHS in calling for an end to inhumane rodeo events at the Calgary Stampede.

Media coverage
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CTV News Calgary

Calgary Stampede rodeo safety to include shaded pens, heart monitors for horses

Tents are being set up to provide shade for bulls and broncs and some chuckwagon horses are to be fitted with tiny electrocardiograms at the upcoming Calgary Stampede.

“The 10-day celebration of western culture, which runs from July 4-13, has long been a target of animal rights groups. The Vancouver Humane Society wants the rodeo portion of the Stampede eliminated.”

“‘We’re seeing deaths at the Calgary Stampede almost every single year. It’s really not a matter of if another animal will die at the Stampede … it’s when,’ said Chantelle Archambault with the group.”

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CityNews Calgary

Calgary Stampede talks animal care ahead of controversial events

Calgary Stampede officials spoke about animal care on Tuesday and a continued partnership with UCalgary to address the ongoing safety.

“The Vancouver Humane Society says 109 animals have died at the Calgary Stampede since they started keeping track of fatalities in 1986.”

VHS Communications Director Chantelle Archambault shared, “I would really question what is entertaining about seeing animals suffer… These animals are not only facing fear and stress inherently in these events, but a risk to their lives.”

“Last year it did turn out to be the deadliest event since 2019.”

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Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge to reflect your opposition to the inhumane treatment of animals in rodeo events.  

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media